A Heart Captured
by Aryea
Summary: Spoilers for the VF episode Wanted and Unwanted.Rated STRONG T as contains adult themes, some language and situations. Allura is not happy with Keith's plan to get himself captured.
1. Chapter 1

**So, this scene got stuck in my head the other day, while watching Voltron Force (of course) and as it takes place earlier in the time line of my current Story The Princess and The Pilot, I thought I'd just toss it on here. I always wondered how Allura felt about Keith just handing himself over to be captured like that, so I wrote about it. Once again- Spoilers for the VF episode Wanted and Unwanted. M rated for later scenes that will contain adult themes and situations. Not for young audiences!**

* * *

"There has to be another way!"

"There is no other way, Princess, we can't let Chief Kalon be executed by Wade." Keith assured as he glanced around the briefing table where everyone was seated. "The Void does not show up on any sensor scan and anyone that has seen it ends up incarcerated there. Manset provided us the plans for the station, but it's useless unless we know where the prison is."

"But once you get in, how will you get out?"

"There's only one way to escape the Void."

"You're going to get yourself launched into space?" She stared at him, and bolted to her feet. "Are you out of your mind?"

"It's the only way and you guys will be there to..."

"And if we're not?" she demanded. "If something happens, Keith, if anything goes wrong..." The mere idea of him being launched into space with no one to save him, or worse what if Wade decides not to launch him? What if he decides to execute Keith the old fashioned way?

"Princess..."

"No! This is crazy!" She put her hands on her hips, a sign of her severe agitation. "I won't agree to it."

Keith rose, placed his hands on the table and leveled his gaze at her. "You don't have to agree with it. I'm the Leader of Voltron and I say the plan is a go, Princess."

She glowered at him, hurt and furious that he would pull rank. Slamming her hands on the table so she was almost nose to nose with the Commander, she said. "I am the ruler of the planet that allows you to fly Voltron!"

"Allows?" Keith repeated dangerously.

"Yes, allows, and you may be the leader of Voltron, Commander, but we are a team! We work as a team and we make decisions as a team. You are not going to sacrifice yourself for this, Keith!"

"Fine." Keith straightened, fisted his hands at his sides, and said, very quietly. "Team, who votes that my plan is our best option?"

Allura watched, dismayed as Hunk, Pidge and Lance all slowly raised their hands.

"It is the best way, Princess," Pidge offered, apologetically when he saw the betrayal in her eyes.

"Opposed?"

She glared at him.

"You're out voted, Princess. Now, can we get back to the briefing?"

She looked at her teammates, then at Keith. Furious, she knocked over her chair with one swipe and stormed out.

There was complete silence in the briefing room, until Lance spoke.

"Go after her, man."

"No." Keith brought up a hologram of the system where the Void was last located.

Lance just as quickly reached over and switched it off. "Go after her."

"She has no right to..."

"She's terrified you're gonna die!" Lance snapped at him. "For Christ's sake, Keith. Go talk to her, reassure her that this will be okay."

Keith was taken aback by his Lieutenant's bark, and stunned by his words. "I won't," he began, confused. "We...this is what we do...this is...She pilots Blue, she knows there are always risks..."

"Yeah, it's what we do, but she's still a woman and she cares about you."

"She cares about all of us, Keith," Pidge offered quietly. "She can't help worry when it's something like this and...you'd be worried too if it was me or Lance thinking of getting captured just to get into the Void. If either of us were going up against Wade alone, you'd be worried too."

"That's different. I know you guys can handle yourself. I know Allura can too."

"Okay, so let Allura be the one who is captured," Lance suggested, mildly.

"No!"

"You just said she can handle herself."

Keith's brain scrambled to find an appropriate reason for the refusal. "She's too well known," he said, finally. "She wouldn't get two feet on Earth before being captured.

"The _idea_ is to get captured."

"But not to give up! If we do that Wade would suspect something. I spent a lot of time eluding the authorities and I can make it look like..."

"I'm sure the Princess can put up a good fight."

"Coran would never allow it," Keith reasoned, grasping. "She's the Princess, and...who knows what sort of criminals would be in the Void. Do you really want to put a woman in with them?"

"Don't let her hear you say that," Pidge murmured.

"Okay, I'll go," Hunk offered. "I'm probably not their type."

"Stop it! We've already decided. Wade wants me more than he does you. He..."

"He knows how dangerous you are to him and could kill you on sight, Keith," Lance stated. "Whereas, he'd just capture any of us."

Keith rested his knuckles on the table, lowered his eyes. They were right. He didn't want any of them to take this risk, especially not Allura. If anything happened to her...

"Look, you are the best man for the job, but she's as afraid of you going as you are afraid of her going." Lance rose, put his hand on Keith's shoulder. "You need to talk to her, work this out."

"Fine!" Keith growled. "Fine!" He stormed out of the room.

It took him twenty minutes to locate Allura inside the Blue Lion, which had been pulled into the hanger for general maintenance.

"Princess?" Keith stood at the mouth of the Lion. "Can I come up?"

He wouldn't just enter her lion, especially when she was angry with him. The lift platform lowered and he stepped aboard to be raised into the cockpit. Allura was in the pilot's chair, staring out the view screen, she didn't turn to look at him as he arrived.

He stood, unsure what to do, then finally just leaned against the interior across from her and folded his arms over his chest. "I'm sorry."

"When do we leave, Commander?"

"I...tomorrow morning."

She nodded, but kept her eyes on the view screen. "I'll make sure Blue is ready."

"Allura..."

"If you'll excuse me, Commander, I need to run some diagnostics."

He stared at her, sighed. Well, he'd tried. "Okay." He moved back to the platform to be lowered, just as she said his name. He turned back.

"I...I'm scared," she murmured folding her hands in her lap. "Wade is crazy. There...there's so much that could go wrong and..."

He moved to crouch beside her seat as she swivelled towards him. "I know, and I'm sorry. I didn't think...I know you worry." He put his hand over both of hers, considered how small and delicate her hands were considering how well she could fight. "About all of us."

She nodded. "I don't mean to, but I can't help it. Most times I...I can hide it, but this...Keith, there's just so much we don't know about the Void and..."

"That's all the more reason we need to put it and Wade out of commission, Allura. They're too dangerous to be allowed to continue."

She nodded again and met his gaze. "Promise me you won't take any unnecessary risks, Keith," she pleaded. "I know you'll take some, you always do, and I know there will be some you have no choice in taking, but please..." She lifted her hand to his cheek. "You have to be careful. I...we can't lose you. You're our leader. I...we need you."

"I promise." He put his other hand over the one she held to his face. "I promise, Allura. I'll come back. It's not like I want to get captured and thrown into an impossible to find prison, it's just the only way."

"I know. I hate it, but I know." She released a heavy breath. "I'm sorry for creating a scene during briefing."

"I'm sorry I dismissed your concerns." He smiled. "We both could have handled it better."

She chuckled. "Yes, I'm sure we could."

"So...we're okay now?"

She nodded. "Yes."

He held her gaze for a long moment, then started to rise.

"Keith?"

He crouched before her again. "Yes?"

She suddenly caught his face between her hands, leaned forward and kissed him.

Keith had thought on this moment several times over the years, how it would happen, if it would happen, he hadn't factored in his own shock and surprise. He'd assumed he would have had some warning, time to prepare, but there was none.

There had always been an unspoken sexual tension between him and the Princess, a shared physical chemistry, but he had never made a move on her, because he wasn't so confident in an emotional connection; on her side anyway. This seemed to give him an indication of what she was feeling.

When she pulled away her cheeks were the most delicious shade of pink. "Please be safe."

"Okay," he murmured, because he honestly didn't know what else to say.

"Lance to Commander?"

Keith heard Lance's voice coming from his Volcom, but couldn't have torn his eyes away from Allura if Lotor had been standing next to him. "Yeah?"

"We've got incoming, a Robeast in the south quarter."

"Okay."

There was a pause and then Lance's voice sounded again. "Okay? Shouldn't we...I dunno, get to our Lions?"

Allura smile shyly as she realized she had really rattled the firmly controlled Voltron commander, as he was now monosyllabic.

"Yeah." Keith shook his head, as if coming out of a daze and straightened. "Power up. I'm with the Princess in Blue, she'll drop me at Black."

"Roger that!"

Keith strapped into the co-pilot's chair. "What did you do to me?" he murmured, half to himself.

Allura's smile widened as she strapped in and immediately brought Blue Lion to life. "I don't know, but I wouldn't mind doing it again."


	2. Chapter 2

Thanks everyone for the reviews, very much appreciated! cubbieBlueMako, in answer to your question no this is a seperate story from The Princess and The Pilot and yes Allura is more confident in this one, as is Keith in some respects. That M rating will deal with situations in later chapters and some language (sorry, no Aliens In Chains scenes from the prison ;-) )

Enjoy this next chapter and please review if you like it!

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Allura was a usually very patient person, but this waiting was too much, even for her. It had been hours since Keith had been arrested and delivered to the Void. Hour's since they had lost track of Wade's space prison and hours since they'd had any contact from the Commander of Voltron.

The rest of the Voltron team were making idle chit-chat, though she could hear the edge in their voices as well. They were also worried about Keith. Finally, Pidge's voice came over their Volcom's.

"I've got his signal! He's in sector two seven one, point six."

"Then let's go get him!" Lance ordered and the lions were off.

However, once they arrived in the area Pidge had designated, only empty space greeted them.

"Where is he?" Allura demanded. "Pidge, are you picking up his signal anymore? Where's the prison?"

Pidge's reply was garbled and she asked him to repeat.

Suddenly, there was movement on her sensors, and almost immediately she honed in on it. "There! I think he's there!" She brought up the view screen, recognized Keith's uniform as his body floated in space, from out of nowhere. "I'll get him!"

She maneuvered Blue Lion close enough to catch the Commander in the Lion's mouth then quickly activated the lift up to the cockpit.

She rushed to him, saw that he wasn't moving. "Keith!" As she turned him over, she saw that his shield had shattered, his face was near blue, his eyes vacant. No. No, this wasn't possible. This wasn't possible. "Keith! Keith! Nooooooo!"

"Allura! Allura, wake up!"

Allura's eyes finally opened to the sight of Commander Keith Cogane standing over her, his eyes wide, his chest bare and his hair messed from sleep. He was shaking her.

"Allura, you're okay, it's just a dream!"

"W...what..." She lifted a hand to his face, realized he was real, that he was standing there real and alive beside her bed. She sobbed and threw herself into his arms.

"Ssshhhh," he whispered, settling beside her and rocking her. "It was just a dream, Princess."

She clung to him as tears ran down her cheeks. It had been so real, so real, but they had gotten Keith back from the Void. She had saved him when he'd been ejected into space, so why had her dream made him die? Was it a premonition, or just her own fears carried over from those few days ago?

"I'll get her some water," Lance murmured and walked to the other room. He found a pitcher of water that the Princess kept there and poured her a glass, his hands were shaking.

They had all heard the Princess' screams echo through the castle, and they had all come running from their beds. Keith had reached her first, which surprised Lance because his rooms were actually closer to her chambers than the Commander's were. If he hadn't known better he would have suspected that Keith had gotten a boost of speed from Daniel's Volcom. Either way, the screams had taken about ten years off of his life, probably twenty off of Keith's.

Taking a deep breath to steady himself, he glanced over as the trio of cadets rushed in, all of them in their pajamas still. "It's fine," he told them. "The Princess just had a nightmare. Go back to bed."

"Nightmare?" Daniel put his hand to his heart and leaned against the closed door. "It sounded like she was being massacred!"

"Nope, just a dream. She's fine now."

"Now I'm gonna have bad dreams," Larmina muttered as they headed back out.

Lance returned to the bedroom, offered the glass to Keith who pulled back and carefully held it to Allura's trembling lips. He watched the Princess wrap her fingers around Keith's hand as he held the glass so she could sip slowly from it.

"You okay, Princess?" Pidge asked quietly.

Allura realized that the entire Voltron force, minus the cadets, were in her room, along with Coran and two palace guards. Everyone but the guards were dressed in varied forms of sleep wear; Pidge in sleek black pajamas, Hunk in baggy boxers with little guitars on them and Lance who wore only a pair of day trousers, which he had probably just shoved into on his way out of his room. Coran was in a robe and slippers but the rest had bare feet. All except for Keith, he was dressed in his black uniform, probably courtesy of the Volcom strapped to his wrist.

She flushed and lowered her eyes. "I...I'm so sorry. I...I didn't mean to disturb everyone."

"Quite alright, Princess," Coran smiled gently and dismissed the guards with a wave of his hand. "It's a good to see we all have excellent reflexes and reaction times."

She allowed him a small smile, then looked at Pidge, who was looking paler than usual and was watching her intently. She put out her hand and he stepped forward to take it. "I'm sorry I scared you. Thank you for coming to check on me."

"It's okay." He put his hand to his heart and sighed in relief. "Just...let me be in my Lion next time, so I don't feel so helpless, okay?"

She smiled, nodded.

"Very good, well, we'll let you get back to sleep," Coran decided and started to usher the others out.

"Yeah, and I need to go change my shorts," Lance said, pulling an appreciative chuckle from her. "Hope this time sleep is more pleasant for you, Princess."

She caught his hand, squeezed and watched him, Pidge and Hunk move to the door. When Keith started to rise and follow, she caught his hand. "Stay?" she requested quietly. "Just...just for a few minutes? Please?"

He glanced at Coran, who smiled and nodded, before stepping over to the outer chamber and leaving them alone. Keith looked back at Allura. "Do you want to talk about it?"

She shook her head.

"Do you want some more water?"

"Could I have...something stronger?"

He nodded, and rose to fetch her a brandy. She kept a bottle in her chamber, used it specifically for visiting dignitaries from Earth. She had tried the beverage several years ago on a trip to Earth, had enjoyed the taste. The bottle was still well over half full.

He poured her two fingers worth and returned to her room, handed it to her. Again she sipped, then set it on her nightstand and wrapped her arms around him again. She was still trembling.

"Was it about me?" he asked, quietly. "The dream?" She'd been screaming his name, so it must have been.

She nodded, curled tighter into him. "Don't go."

"I won't. I'll stay as long as you need me to."

He rubbed her back, stroked her hair, and held her in silence as she worked through whatever fears and anxiety the dream had caused inside of her.

"You were dead," she whispered. "You...you had suffocated when Wade ejected you into space. I couldn't get to you quick enough. I...I couldn't save you."

"You did save me, Allura," he soothed. "I'm right here. It was only a dream."

"What if it wasn't? What if..." She pulled back and stared into his eyes. "What if it means something?"

He brushed her hair back from her face with his finger tips. "It doesn't. It's just stress from the last few days and it's no wonder you're having nightmares."

"I hate them! I feel so...out of control."

"I know the feeling."

"You?" She blinked at him. "You're always in control, Keith."

He smirked, pulled back. "Not always."

"It seems like it."

"Good."

She reached for his hand. "Was it bad? Inside the prison?"

"It wasn't great. Wade knew I was coming, which we hadn't considered, and then Daniel tagging along didn't help matters." Then again, Daniel tagging along had probably saved them all, which was a hard thing for him to swallow still.

Nothing against the impulsive cadet, but Keith had lost control of the situation far too quickly. It was a blow to his ego worse, he'd felt fear for the first time in years; real fear that he wouldn't be able to get out of this one. That both he and Daniel would die in that prison. That he'd have broken his promise to Allura to come back, to stay safe.

"At least you both got home safely."

"Yeah."

"Allura sat back against her pillows then asked the question that was really on her mind, that had been on her mind for days and had probably inspired her nightmare. "Did Wade hurt you?"

"Not as much as he wanted to."

The answer was a deliberate deflection and she realized that Keith would never admit to anything further; not because of his pride, but because he didn't want to worry her. He drove her crazy sometimes with his switching attitude. Sometimes he deliberately took risks, knowing she wouldn't approve and going forward with them to spite her, but then he'd always mislead her on any injuries or suffering he might have sustained, so she wouldn't worry over him.

He had still never discussed the years he was away as a fugitive, but she knew they had to have been bad. He was a different person when he came back. He'd lost weight, too much weight in her opinion, but he was still strong. His eyes were shadowed, not from exhaustion but from something else, and there always seemed to be an unseen weight hovering over him. She could tell it in the way he carried himself sometimes.

She reached for her brandy, finished it off then snuggled back down under the covers. "Thank you, Keith."

"Any time."

"Will you stay, just until I fall asleep?"

He nodded and when she slid over he laid down atop the covers beside her. She turned on her side to face him, propped her hands under her cheeks and felt her heart beat quicken, no longer from her dream but from him being so close to her.

"Keith?"

"Hmmm?"

"Are you...did you..." She flushed and averted her eyes.

"Am I or do I what?"

She lifted her eyes to his again. "When you were away, a fugitive, did you have...anyone?"

"Anyone for what?"

She blushed, lowered her eyes. "Anyone, for...for comfort."

"I didn't need comfort, Princess. I was out there to find Black."

"Everyone needs comfort at some point, Keith."

"Are you asking me if I...dated during that time, Princess?"

He was back to using her title again, she noticed he did that whenever he was trying to keep her at a distance, as if to remind her, or himself that things were getting too personal. "Did you?"

"No."

"Why?"

"I was a fugitive. I couldn't exactly take a woman out for dinner and a show, without the risk of being arrested."

"There are...other types of women, Keith. Ones that could have offered you...comfort for...um...the short term."

He stared at her, unblinking. "I don't care for women who date by the hour, Princess. I don't see the point of it."

She felt a huge chunk of bottled up misery just melt away from her. "Oh."

"Is that really how you see me?" he asked, suddenly. "Do you really think I'd be wasting my time with some woman on her back instead of doing my duty?" Instead of working his ass off to find Black so he could get back to Arus, to her?

She sat up, gasped. "No! No of course not, I just..." She lowered eyes and plucked invisible lint off the blanket. "I just...you seem different then how you were before, Keith and I...We were closer before."

They had been closer, before Wade sabotaged Voltron. Keith had laughed more, was more affectionate with her, and there seemed to have been an understanding between them that they were more than friends. But now, since he had been back, she didn't know where she stood with him. She could only assume that the change had, in some part, been due to the fact that he'd gotten a taste of other women and so no longer cared for her. That he now, somehow found her too inexperienced or lacking for his tastes.

Keith also sat up. "Things are different, Allura. They were bad before, and then we had a few good years..." A few good years where he had let his guard down. A few good years where he had let himself hope that he and Allura had a future together, but that all changed the day that Wade sabotaged Voltron and he went on the run. That was when Keith knew he could never be carefree or unguarded again. "Things change."

"But why must _we_ change?" she asked, catching his arm as he started to rise. "Why must you?"

"To keep you safe," he admitted and giving in, just this once, to his urge to touch her. He cupped her cheek. "I have to keep you safe, Allura."

She put her hand over his. "I am safe, Keith, but why can't I be happy too?"

"You're not happy?"

She shook her head. "I miss you. I miss the way things were between us."

He wasn't sure what to say to that, so he decided to simply be honest. "I do too, but I'm not that person anymore, Allura. I'm sorry, but I'm not."

"Why? Who are you then? What changed?"

"Everything changed." People that they had believed vanquished returned from the dead. Men they trusted gave into power and greed. New dangers were unleashed, new issues were raised.

His eyes memorized her face as they had so many times before. How often had he seen her in his dreams when he was on the run? Or thought he had seen her in the street, only to find it was another blond woman who looked similar? How many nights had he lain sleepless because of his worry for her?

Seeing his internal struggle, she moved closer. "Keith." She slid a hand against his chest, felt the rapid beat of his heart. "Things can also be changed back."

He knew what she was going to do, knew he should stop her, get up, put some distance between them or leave her presence entirely. But he couldn't get the memories of wishing for her out of his head. He couldn't forget the way she had screamed his name and caused him to run faster than he had ever run in his life to her chambers.

When their lips touched, he warned himself not to respond. She was upset, she'd had a bad dream and she needed to do this, but he shouldn't respond. He shouldn't...Shit. So much for being in control.

His arms went around her of their own volition, his tongue teased at her lips until they granted him entry. Her little moan of pleasure instantly aroused him and he shoved one hand into her hair as she pulled him backwards atop her.

"Allura," he murmured against her lips, trying to find some sort of balance against the sensations she was creating inside of him, some sort of barrier that could be erected to prevent this going further.

"We can change it back," she whispered back, twirling her fingers in his hair as he had done his, dancing her nails over the back of his neck. "We can be close again."

He broke the kiss, breathing hard. "We...we weren't this close...before," he reminded, even as his body pressed against hers in earnest. "This is...this is more..."

"I want more." She tried to pull him down again, to kiss her again but he resisted. "Why? Do I not excite you anymore? Am I not woman enough for you?"

"You do!" he assured quickly, and gave into her tugging, but instead of capturing her lips he nestled his head against the side of her neck. "You are, Allura. Never doubt that."

She caressed his back, his hair, willing to stay this way forever if it meant they had a chance, reveling in the weight and comfort of his body over hers. "I miss you, Keith. I thought you cared for me?"

He shifted, rolled onto his back, but didn't leave her. "I do, Allura." So much, he cared so much and he realized exactly how much during his time away, when he couldn't see her, or touch her or hear her voice. It had scared him how deeply his feelings for her went. "I just..." He tossed a hand over his eyes. "I just don't know...how...to do this anymore."

She lifted up on her elbow so she could look down at him. "Do what? Care about someone?" She pulled his arm away so she could look into his eyes, such beautiful blue eyes. "Be in love and be at war at the same time?"

He stared at her, surprised how easily she guessed his problem. "Yes," he whispered. "You are my priority, Allura. Keeping you safe. I have to focus on that. I can't let my guard down again..." He reached up, caressed her cheek. "Not even for you."

"You'll push me away to keep me safe? Keith, what's the point of being safe if I'm miserable? If we're both miserable?"

His eyes clouded. "Are you that unhappy?"

She wasn't, not really, but she would be happier if Keith cut them both some slack. "I want to be with you, Keith. Why is that a bad thing?"

"I don't know." And he didn't, he only knew that if he let his feelings for Allura cloud his judgement she could get hurt, or worse, die. He would never forgive himself, he could never survive her death; especially not if his incompetence was the cause. "But it is."

He saw the hurt in her eyes and it stabbed through him as if he'd turned his own weapons inward. Swinging his legs over the side, he sat up, ran his hands over his face and rose to his feet. "I'm sorry, Princess."

Allura watched him leave and lay back on her pillows. "So am I," she sighed, disheartened.


	3. Chapter 3

_**SPOILERS for VF episode Clash of the Lions.** This chapter references a couple of scenes from the show, and then behind those scenes. Beginning where the Voltron team are on Earth, sans Allura, and Wade has taken over Voltron. Masari is a word I made up, is supposed to be Arusion for My Love. If it has another meaning in any other language, no offence is intended._

_Please, please let me know what you think?_

* * *

"He played us." Keith sliced through yet another of Wade's lion drones, but it had little effect against the the robots hard exterior. "He knew we'd come after him for Allura and we walked right into it!" Damn it! Damn it! He should have listened to her. He let his anger, his fear get the better of him and put all of them in more danger.

"So ah, which of us has to tell her she was right?" Lance asked as he moved back to back with his Commander and fired his pistols at the lions surrounding them. "We need her Keith and anybody else she can round up."

"I..."

"We'll be back," Daniel promised as he and Vince ran off.

"What?" Keith growled.

"Flight academy building," Lance scowled, seeing the direction the cadets were headed. "That's Wade Central. "Ah, he said as it dawned on what the kids were doing. "Larmina, back 'em up."

Larmina dispersed with the lion she was fighting and was off after Daniel and Vince.

"And there goes half our strength," Pidge commented, dryly, then to Lance. "Tell me you don't do this stuff on purpose just to make it more exciting?"

"I could tell you," Lance grinned. "But I'd be lying."

Keith ignored his teammate's exchange as he tried to get past the drones circling them. He pressed his Volcom and tried to contact Allura. "Come on Allura!" Where was she? Why wasn't she answering?

Fear crawled like a snake through his belly, up into his chest and coiled around his heart. What if Lotor had attacked the minute they had left? What if Allura hadn't been able to get to her Volcom? Her lion was here, with them and now under Wade's control. The team was here on Earth, without a way to get back to Arus. He'd left her with no protection, no way to fight! What was he thinking?

"Keith. Keith!"

Lance saw his friend just standing there as a lion charged him. He shoved the dazed commander out of the way and fired twice at the beast, when it kept coming, Pidge threw a several stars at it and downed it, for about thirty seconds before it rose again and started circling once more.

"Head in the game man!" Lance warned as he offered Keith a hand up.

"Allura..." He began and the doubt and fear was evident in his eyes. "She's not answering, she's..."

"She'll be fine, Keith," Lance assured, startled for a moment by the intensity in his Commander's eyes, but understanding immediately. "Just keep trying her, okay? If we can't stay alive until she gets here there won't be anyone to save her from Lotor, will there?"

Keith nodded, tried again, then put his head back in the game.

* * *

Allura was hurt and angry that her team had left without her. She hadn't really expected them to call her bluff, but she'd underestimated them. If it had just been Pidge and Hunk she could have swayed them, but Lance had always been a hot head and a brawler; he curbed it most of the time but he was always the one ready to go off half cocked. She hadn't been surprised when he had threatened they would go with or without her.

But Keith? Keith had more sense, he was their leader and always listened to all sides before making such an important decision. She had been shocked when he didn't even try to censure or contradict Lance's threat. Even more so when he didn't try to talk her out of staying, he just called for the team to go to the lions.

After talking with her father's spirit she still felt no comfort and so wandered the castle, disturbed by how empty it felt, then ended up back in the control room. Her Volcom still sat where she left it, and she suddenly felt ashamed for abandoning her friends, her team. Even if she didn't agree with what they were doing, she should have backed them up.

She sighed, picked it up and then saw that she had two messages. Fastening the device to her wrist she pressed play. Instantly a hologram of Keith appeared before her.

"Allura! Allura, come in. We need help!" Her eyes widened as she saw him use his swords to fend off something in front of them that she couldn't see. "It was a trap! Wade has control of Voltron." Again he grunted as something attacked him and she saw a flash of Lance and Pidge battling behind him at what looked to be black lion robots. "Allura, we need help! Send anyone you can, send..."

The transmission ended abruptly and her free hand flew to her mouth. Oh no! Oh no! She brought up Pidge's control screen and searched the sector for any allies who's ships were in the vicinity of Earth. There were only regular shuttles left on Arus, it would take her hours to reach her team. None of the fleet, none of their friends were close enough to help.

No, wait, maybe there was someone. She quickly contacted Keith's smuggler friend Manset, and after a very brief discussion with the four-armed alien, contacted Chief Kalon.

* * *

Keith spotted Coran and Allura from the window of his seat on Manset's ship, waiting for them just outside the castle and felt relief fill him and the tightness around his gut finally start to ease. She was okay. She was safe!

"She looks pissed," Lance commented from beside him.

But safe, Keith thought and almost smiled at his overactive imagination had gotten the better of him. "Well, we did kind of break her robot."

"Yeah, but Wade is in custody, that should count for something."

"We were stupid to go in the first place. I acted like a hot head. Worse, I acted like you!"

"You can blame me if it will help you get back in her good graces." Lance smirked. "I bet a surprise would soften her up. Why don't ya run into her arms and plant a big one on her, the minute we land."

Keith's starting smile dimmed. "Why me?"

"You're our leader. You speak for all of us."

"I don't think so."

"It's what you both want and would definitely break the tension for the rest of us."

"So you run off and kiss her."

"And have her break my arm? Or a more important part of my anatomy." Lance chuckled. "Thanks, but no thanks."

"I'll do it," Pidge offered quietly from behind them. "She won't hurt me, because I'm small."

Keith's smile as almost back. "Good, you're elected."

"Awesome."

Lance stared at Keith who, all during their conversation had not taken his eyes off the Princess standing below. He leaned closer so he would not be overheard. "She doesn't want a kiss from Pidge."

"She doesn't want one from me either," he muttered through gritted teeth. Especially not after he had refused her request to be closer. She had been polite to him, since but no longer as friendly as she was. He knew he had hurt her.

Lance sighed and lay his head back as they landed. "You're a moron."

As soon as the landing bay was down, Pidge, as promised, hurried to Allura and actually jumped into her arms to kiss her cheek.

"We broke your robot," he sighed and laid his head on her shoulder, apologetically. "Actually it was Wade, but it was kind of our fault."

Allura smiled at the unexpected attack, having no choice but to catch the genius when he launched himself at her. "Can you fix him?"

"Of course!" He gave her an offended look and hopped down. "Would I ever break something and not fix it?"

She shook her head and ruffled his hair as he adjusted his glasses, then her smile faded as the rest of her team appeared.

"Princess," Lance offered her a small respectful bow, unsure how to approach her, for despite her smile for Pidge, she had ice in her eyes for the rest of them.

"Lieutenant. I take it you all were not harmed in the attack?"

"No." He watched her gaze flicker to Keith and watched some of her worry shone through. "We're all fine."

Allura held Keith's gaze for several long seconds before he finally nodded to her. "We can discuss the details later. Hunk, Pidge, let's get Voltron to the maintenance hanger."

* * *

Allura set her Volcom on the charger by her the door of her outer chambers and shrugged out of her uniform jacket, leaving her in a small blue tank top. She hung the jacket in the closet, then as she turned back towards the door she saw the small red dot blinking on her Volcom.

Oh, right she'd had two messages from earlier, she'd only listened to the one from Keith and had sprung into action, completely forgetting the second. Slipping the Volcom back over her wrist she played the message.

Again, a hologram of Keith, looking far more disheveled and anxious than his previous message, though she could still hear the sounds of battle going on around him. "Allura. Please contact me. Are you safe? I have to know you're safe." She watched his face turn to one of despair and gasped, she had never seen that look on him before. "You have to be okay. Call and tell me you're okay. Please!"

The connection was lost again and Allura continued to stare at the space where his hologram had been, then after a moment she played the message again. She saw the fear in Keith's eyes, the desperation, and it scared her. Was that look from what was happening with Wade or because he was afraid she was hurt?

When Manset had brought her boys home, she had been very grateful to see them, but she'd held back because she was still ashamed at having let them go without her. She was still uneasy about using Voltron they way they did, to purposely seek out Wade to extract justice, but they had needed her and she hadn't been there for them.

She had let her team down, and even Lance's apology had not eased her conscience. When he and Lance had come to stand beside her in the maintenance bay, it was Lance who had spoken, not Keith. She could understand that both men regretted not listening to her, felt unsure what to say to her, and she hoped to have reassured them that she harbored no ill will, after explaining to Lance that she wasn't sure anymore what Voltron's roll in the universe was.

Now, after seeing Keith's second message, she wondered if she should go and talk to him. He may just push her away again, but she had to try. She had to know the meaning of what she had seen in his eyes during the message. She had to know what had caused such a crack in his unbreakable armor.

"Allura to Pidge."

"At your service, Princess."

She smiled, she really quite adored him. "Is Keith in the bay with you, still?"

"No, he left awhile ago. Do you want me to check where he is on the scanners?"

"If you wouldn't mind."

"Sure thing, one sec." A moment later his voice sounded again. "He's in the library."

"Thanks, Pidge. And thanks for all the hard work you do for us."

"This isn't work, Princess. This is how I play!"

She smiled and moved out of her quarters again. She took the elevator down to the fourth floor libraries and stepped inside. Most reading material was on data pads now, or could be downloaded from a main archive to individual terminals, but her great grandfather had started the library for one of the Knights of Arus, as the Knight's son had enjoyed reading actual books. Allura's ancestors added to the collection over the years, as she had herself. She knew that Keith, who also had a great love of reading, spent a good deal of his time in here.

She moved past the center reference station, where one could find a book by title, genre, or author and would be directed to which of the hundreds of shelves the book was located. Walking through the stacks of shelves that reached from floor to ceiling on all sides of the massive, circular room, she wound her way into the center seating area and there she found Keith, sitting crossways in an arm chair, his back against one arm his legs hanging over the other arm and a large book in his lap.

"Keith?"

His head shot up, startled and accidentally knocked the book onto the floor. "P...Princess." He swung around, bent to pick up the book and rose. "Is something wrong?"

"I was going to ask you the same thing."

He frowned. "I...don't know what you mean."

She decided to ease into the conversation. "What are you reading?"

He glanced at the book, fidgeted. "The Count of Monte Cristo."

"What is it about?"

"Betrayal, unrequited love and revenge."

Her eyes widened, did he have any idea how much that mirrored his own life? Well, at least the betrayal and revenge. The unrequited love she was working on.

"Sounds interesting."

"It is. You should read it." He smirked and lowered his eyes. "Proves that a man can sometimes be wrong, but for the right reasons."

She lifted an eyebrow. "Only sometimes?" she asked, knowing it was a reference to his going after Wade.

He shrugged. "Everyone is wrong sometimes."

She supposed that was as close to an apology as she was going to get. "I got your messages."

He stared at her blankly.

"That you sent to my Volcom, while you were on Earth fighting Wade."

He nodded. "Yes. Thank you for sending help." He looked down at the book in his hand, then back at her. "Was that all?"

"The second message...disturbed me, Keith."

His eyebrows rose. "Second message?" Had he left a second message?

She could see his confusion, so she tapped her Volcom and played the message for him. She regarded him closely as he watched his own image, saw him flush, and then his jaw tightened.

"Oh," he said when the message ended. "That message."

She stepped closer to him. "You were worried about me."

He nodded, curtly.

"Why?"

He scowled. "What do you mean why? You weren't answering you Volcom."

"Okay, but it seems a bit of a leap from me not answering a device you saw me take off and leave in the control center, to assuming I was in trouble or hurt."

His mind raced to find a cause he could give her, a reason that was logical, acceptable and one that would not lead to another discussion about their 'relationship'. "I was under considerable stress," he admitted, honestly. "I hadn't expected Wade to do what he did and my...imagination got away from me."

"And that was it?"

"What else is could there be?"

She took another step closer, smirked when he took the slightest step back and hugged the thick book to his chest, as if using it as a shield. "Why won't you be honest with me, Keith?"

"I don't know what you mean, Princess."

"You were afraid for me. Afraid because I was here alone and possibly hurt, or afraid because you thought Lotor had captured me?" She watched the pulse in his jaw jump at the mention of the dark Prince and took a final step into in his space, close enough that she could almost feel the heat of his body against her own. "Or were you afraid that you let me die without telling me how you felt?"

He closed his eyes against the memory of that one. "Stop."

She regarded him quietly. "So, which was it?"

"None of them," he said immediately, his eyes flying to hers, then just as quickly lowering again because he could no longer take the intensity of her gaze. "All of them."

He didn't understand it. He could stare down criminals, aliens, admirals, hell he'd even started down Wade and Lotor, but he could not do that with Allura. She seemed able to see past all of his defenses and it bothered him.

His admission shocked Allura, she thought she would have had to press much harder for it. She put her hand on the book, tugged until he released it. She tossed it in the chair behind him, then wrapped her arms around him.

"I'm not hurt. I'm not captured." She lifted her eyes, held his brooding gaze. "So here's your chance...tell me."

Keith felt all the panic and fear he had felt while battling Wade return full force, only this time it was different. This time he was afraid of Allura, of what she was offering him, of how little he had to offer her. Why couldn't she understand that he was trying to protect her? There was no point to them starting something when they couldn't really be together, not in the eyes of her people.

But nor could he lie to her. He could never lie to her, even with Wade, when she had accused him outright that it was about her and not about justice he confirmed it instantly. Of course it had been about her, everything that was important in his life was about her. Did she really think he would allow Wade to come after her like that without some kind of retaliation? Didn't she understand how precious she was to him and to his team?

Allura waited, patiently. Keith did not return her embrace; he just stared down at her and fought an internal war with himself.

"What is it you want to hear?"

"Whatever you need to tell me. The truth."

He bit the inside of his cheek, hard. "I was worried." And he had been. He had been desperately worried, so much so that he had lost track of his surroundings and it had taken Lance to pull him back to the battle. "I...Allura, I..." He didn't have the words. He didn't know how to voice them properly, to tell her the truth without giving her hope, because there was no hope for them.

Sensing his struggle she offered him a way out. "Okay then, I'll ask five questions, you can answer yes or no and that will tell me the truth. Will you answer honestly?"

After a moment he nodded.

"Are you overprotective of me because of the new dangers we face?"

"Yes."

"Are your avid concerns that you alone must keep me safe, because you feel guilty about Wade's betrayal and no longer trust anyone else?"

"Yes. No." He paused. "I trust the team. I trust Coran, but I let my...respect for Wade's military career blind me to who he really was, what he was planning."

And he'd let his developing relationship with her weaken his ability to see the danger Wade presented. He wanted Peace, he wanted it because he wanted to finally be with Allura as a man, not as her commander. He'd just wanted them to have some time together, to enjoy each other and see where their years of gentle flirting might take them. His desire for some happiness caused him to overlook an important potential threat.

Allura considered his words, but sensed there was much more that he wasn't telling her. "Would you do anything to prevent me from being hurt?"

His response was immediate. "Yes."

"Even if you're the one hurting me?"

He felt his gut twist. How did he answer that? How could he? "Yes," he finally said, assuming that she would finally drop all of this and leave him to his solace, and his misery.

"Do you mean to hurt me?"

"No!"

"Then please stop, Keith. Stop hurting me. Stop hurting yourself." She reached up to cup his cheek, watched him lean into her touch and wondered if he was even aware he did it.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, and dipped his head, finally pulling his arms around her, returning her embrace. "I'm sorry." He had wanted to hold her like this from the moment he had stepped off Manset's ship but hadn't dared. If he had, he'd have never been able to let her go.

"I know. I know, Masari," she whispered, felt him start in surprise at the endearment, then his arms tightened around her.

"I don't want to hurt you," he murmured. "But we...can't be together, Allura. You know that."

"I know many things, but I confess to not knowing that, Keith."

He pulled back enough to look at her. "I'm not noble. I'm not from Arus. You have to be with someone from..."

She put her fingers to his lips to gently silence him. "You are noble," she insisted in her Princess voice. "And you may not be from Arus, but you have long protected its people and they see you as one of them now. I forbid you to use that as an excuse any longer." She caressed his cheek and in her best Hunk imitation, said. "What else ya got?"

Keith searched his mind, he had to make her understand. As much as he wanted to be with her, he couldn't be. He wasn't worthy of her, he didn't deserve her; not after letting his guard down with Wade. Not after putting his own happiness before his duty.

"I'm a fugitive," he said, grasping at straws.

"Okay, as Princess, I give you a full pardon and I'm sure the galactic alliance will do so also, now that Wade has been captured." She smirked up at him. "Next?"

"I'm...too old for you."

She barked with laughter. "My people live well into their hundreds, I don't think that will be a problem for very long."

"Allura..." he moaned, desperate to make her understand that they simply could not be together.

"I have one more question." She almost smiled when he rested his forehead against hers and sighed.

"What else?"

She pulled back, lifted his head so she could see his eyes, so she would know the truth. "Do you love me?"

She felt him stiffen, watched his eyes widen and then droop again.

"Yes."


	4. Chapter 4

_Spoilers for Rogue Trip. I know some of you are getting antsy for the M scenes, but they are coming! ;-) for now I hope you enjoy this chapter. Thank you so so much everyone who reviewed it really means the world to me. Feedback is also welcome as it helps me tailor the story to those reading it!_

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"Knock knock, Kitty Cat."

Keith looked down from where he sat on Black Lion's head as Allura waved from below. "How's he doing?"

"I think he's okay." He rubbed Black's snout. "Can she come up, boy?"

Black Lion extended his paw for Allura to step on, then lifted her up to Keith, who caught her hands and helped her hop aboard the Lion's massive head.

"Oh, my," she grinned as she looked over the side, it was a very long way down when the Lions were sitting up. "It looks different out here then it does in the cockpit."

"He seems to be running okay again, but Pidge is right, there is definitely something different about him. I can feel it, it's like a...an energy that wasn't there before."

They had all been shocked when Black had broken free of the main hanger earlier, shunning the Voltron team who had been trying to repair his core. Keith had to track his lion on foot, only to have the other lions eject the rest of his team when they had arrived to corral Black.

They had worked as a pride, Allura had said, according to her father, and would only respect an alpha male or leader. Keith had volunteered to go against the lions alone, luckily Black had accepted him again.

"He'll be okay. Pidge will figure it out." She held up a small picnic basket. "I managed to steal away some more pizza, before Hunk and Lance ate it all. Are you hungry?"

"I had a slice, but wouldn't mind another." He sat back down, held her hand as she found a level spot beside him, then helped her when she started to remove her uniform jacket, leaving her once again in just her blue tank top. It was a very warm day, and there was hardly a breeze coming in from the open hangar doors.

She opened the basket and pulled out two plates with a slice of pizza each. She handed one to him. "I wish you had told me how good this was, we could have been making weekly trips to Earth, or at least stocked the ingredients to make it here."

He smiled at her. Ever since their talk in the library, where he had finally admitted the truth about how he felt about her, she had gone back to the gentle flirtation she had used before Wade betrayed them; before he'd had to go on the run. Keith found himself falling back into it the game with her, even though he still had doubts about a future together for them.

She had said he was hurting her, and he couldn't continue to do that. So, for now, he would let things happen, and make her as happy as he could in the mean time. Besides, she was right, he had been afraid she would die without knowing that he loved her.

When she pulled out a bottle of wine and two glasses he lifted an eyebrow. "What's the occasion?"

"To having Black back where he belongs," she decided, pouring them two glasses and handing him one. She clinked her glass against his. "And to having you back where you belong."

Her words touched him deeply and he smiled. "Oh? And where is that?"

"Beside me of course." She leaned in, kissed him, thrilled when he didn't protest or pull away. "Hmmmm." She purred, then squeaked in surprise when the vibration of Black's responding purrs rumbled across her backside.

Allura's quick reflexes was all that kept Keith from spilling his wine all over himself, and she quickly caught his glass as he fell onto his back and howled with laughter.

Allura blushed, then grinned and leaned over him, delighted at how incredibly relaxed he seemed. She loved his smile, and the sound of his laughter. He didn't do either often enough.

"Very funny." She set his glass down and smacked at his chest, then scowled and wiggled her stinging hand. She never realized how solid his chest was. "Ow!"

"Awww." He sat up on his elbow and caught her hand. "Poor Princess." He turned her hand over and pressed his lips tenderly to her palm. Then her wrist, then her elbow...her shoulder, and then finally her lips. "Better?"

She smiled, handed him back his glass then and took a sip of her wine.

"How is it?" he asked, watching her beneath hooded eyelids.

"Tastes almost as good as you do."

He blushed and laughed at the same time, shook his head and rubbed his neck. "You're going to make this very hard for me, aren't you?"

"Yep!" She took a bite of pizza, felt the sauce drip down her chin. "I intend to flatter and court you until you find me irresistible!"

He reached his thumb forward to wipe the red liquid from her chin, then brought it to his lips to lick the sauce off. "It will be a very short courtship," he murmured, and chuckled when she took another bite and more sauce dripped onto her chest, just above the neckline of her top. "You're supposed to eat it, not wear it, Allura."

She grinned and tried to wipe at the mess, but Keith caught her hand, held her gaze for a moment then lowered his mouth and licked the sauce from her skin. He then kissed the same spot, as well as either side of her throat, and her chin, before straightening to look at her again.

God, she was exquisite. So incredibly beautiful and full of life and light. Her smile warmed him better than any sun, her touch was softer than the gentlest of breezes against his skin, yet it created raging storms inside of him. She was heaven, pure, sweet and true. He no longer cared about what would happen in the future, at least not in this moment. He wanted only to be with her, to enjoy her and the feelings she wrung from him so easily.

Allura had been holding her breath the moment his lips had touched her, and even now was having trouble releasing that breath when she saw the firm desire in his eyes. "W...well," she managed and wet her lips. "I...Thanks for that."

"My pleasure," he assured, then took a bite of his pizza and turned his gaze back to the horizon.

They sat in comfortable silence, eating their pizza and drinking wine. Finally, Allura spoke.

"I was wondering..."

"Yes?" He turned to look at her, saw the touch of pink enter her cheeks and wondered how she could be so forward one minute and so demure the next. He supposed that was one of the things he loved about her.

"If nothing comes up tomorrow, you know, no attacks or...or anything, if maybe you would...take me for a ride on your motorcycle?"

He regarded her quietly and realized she had never been on his bike with him. To be honest, he didn't think she'd want to go, it seemed a rather barbaric machine for her. "I'd love to take you for a ride, Allura."

She brightened, relieved. "Should I...um...wear anything specific?"

"No, just something comfortable, boots that cover your ankles and a jacket. You should wear your hair down, like it is now to fit under the helmet."

She nodded. "Okay." She waited for a moment. "Could we go today? Once you're finished bonding with Black, of course."

He looked out at the horizon again, and considered the idea of being with his two favorite things, his motorcycle, and his Princess. He finished off his pizza and wine, then put everything back in the basket. "I'm finished."

She hopped up, and almost immediately would have slid off Black's head if Keith hadn't caught her.

"You okay?"

She flushed and nodded, she was just so excited, and so nervous! She had never been on a motorcycle before, it frightened her even when she saw Keith on it, but she wanted to do this; to share this with him. "Yes. Sorry."

"Okay Black, we're ready to get down."

The Black Lion purred and gently laid his head on his paws so they could slide off.

"Go change, I'll meet you in the garage."

She nodded as they stepped into the corridor and headed off in the opposite direction from Keith. She'd dressed faster than she had ever dressed before in her life, in dark blue jeans, a white scoop neck and a light blue jacket. She brushed her hair out and set her blue jewel tiara in it's secured case, and slid her feet into a pair of black boots.

After freshening up her makeup, she added a teasing amount of perfume and her Volcom, knowing Keith would be wearing his, then hurried to the elevator.

Keith was already in the garage, standing by his bike and talking to Lance. Her mouth watered when she saw that Keith had also changed into tight black jeans, black boots and a tight blue t-shirt, beneath his dark leather jacket. It got cooler in the desert area of Arus once the suns went down, and it was already close to the first sun setting.

"Hey Princess," Lance waved as he handed Keith a second helmet and walked to her, winked. "Y'know, he's never taken me for a ride, I'm kinda jealous."

She hoped she wasn't blushing as she offered Lance a smile, waited until he stepped out of the garage and then wandered over to Keith.

"Is this okay?" She gave a quick turn for inspection.

He nodded. "Yes, you look very nice. Is it comfortable?"

"Oh, very." She glanced at the two wheeled vehicle with some trepidation, then caught Keith's eyes watching her. "Um...so, how do we do this?"

"Are you sure you want to?"

She nodded. This was something that Keith enjoyed doing, and so she wanted to be part of it, wanted to share in it with him. "Yes, I'm just a little nervous."

He nodded, set the helmet over her head and carefully secured it. He then put his own helmet on and swung a leg over the bike. They could both create helmets with their Volcoms, but he preferred to do some things old school. "Climb on."

Gingerly, Allura straddled the bike behind him. "Like this?"

"Just like that." He started the bike, startling her much the way Black's purr had earlier. He grinned. "Okay?"

"Y...yes." She squirmed slightly at the vibration. "It feels weird."

"You'll get used to it." He tapped her hand. "Put your arms around me."

She didn't have to be told twice, slid her arms around his solid form and squealed when they shot forward out of the garage.

"Hold on tight," he said through the mikes in their helmets and Allura could tell he was smiling.

Allura wasn't sure how long they rode for, but she found the experience exhilarating. It was so freeing being out here on Keith's bike, feeling the wind rushing past them, seeing the surface at a pace slower than with their Lions and faster than on foot. She didn't even mind the vibration of the bike that much, in fact it was kind of arousing.

Keith stopped at the top of one of the cliffs overlooking the water and pulled his helmet as they both dismounted. "I like this spot," he told her quietly as the second sun started to dip towards the water, casting a reflection of the surrounding area and creating a near violet glow around them. "It's very peaceful."

"Hmmmm." Allura removed her helmet as well, set it on the back rest and walked up to put her cheek against his back. "Very nice. Do you come here often?"

"No. There isn't time to come here that much."

"No." There didn't seem to be time for anything anymore, but she was determined to try and find some for them. "Keith?"

"Hmmmm?"

"Do you think I'm pretty?"

"No."

She gasped. "What?"

He turned, caught her chin and smiled down at her furiously flashing eyes. "I think you're beautiful."

"Oh, you." She snuggled against him and smiled as his hands rubbed her back.

"What's wrong, Allura?"

"What do you mean?"

"You're not one to go looking for compliments."

She shrugged. "I don't know, I just..." She shrugged again.

"Come on. We agreed to be honest with each other, remember?"

"Yes, I know." She averted her eyes and he waited patiently for her to continue. "I...I just wonder sometimes if you're attracted to me, that's all."

"Why would you wonder about that? I think I've made it pretty clear that I am."

"Well, you do kiss me and..." She played with the zipper on his jacket. "Hug me and things, but you...that is..."

"What, Allura? Tell me."

"You don't ever seem to want to go any further."

He started down at her and frowned. "I do want to go further."

Her eyes flickered up to his again. "Really?"

"Of course I do."

"Then why haven't we?"

"When have we had the chance?" He countered gently. "This is the first time we've really been alone in days." And it had been less than a week since their conversation in the library.

She nodded, that was true.

"Yes. I just...sometimes I wish you were my pool boy, instead of the leader of Voltron."

"Pool boy!" He stepped back and gaped at her. "Where in the world did you hear that term?"

"From Hunk, he was telling a joke to Pidge. When I asked him what a pool boy was, he said it was an old Earth term for when an older lady liked to have a..."

Keith waved his hand. "I know what a pool boy is." He chuckled. "Why would you want _me_ to be your pool boy?"

She wound her fingers through the hair at the back of his neck. "Because then I wouldn't have to worry about you every time we go into battle, and you wouldn't be so obsessed about keeping me safe, and neither of us would be so damn busy!"

He grinned, bent and kissed her cheek. "You're something else, Allura." He paused. "What would you do with me if I was your pool boy?"

She smiled slowly then. "Why, have you clean my pool, of course."

He laughed as she snuggled against him again.

"Keith?"

"Yes, love."

Her eyes widened for a moment as her heart melted. "I think about you all the time."

"I think about you too."

"Especially in bed." She lifted her gaze to his again. "Do you think about me, in bed? Lying there, naked, waiting for you?"

"You don't sleep naked, Allura." But he found himself growing hard at the idea of it.

"How do you know?"

"I've been to your room when you were sleeping, remember?" And thank God she hadn't been sleeping naked with the entire team plus Coran there. How embarrassing would that have been? "When you had the nightmare."

"Oh, right." She bit her lower lip. "I could start sleeping naked. Would you come then?"

He shifted his hips slightly away from her so that she wouldn't notice the significant change in his body. "We should head back."

"Do we have too?"

"The second sun is almost set, we shouldn't be out here after dark, Allura."

"You're out here after dark all the time."

He did tend to take short evening rides on his bike to clear his head. "That's different."

"Why?"

"Because you aren't with me."

She growled in frustration, there he goes protecting her again. "It's my home planet, Keith. I've been allowed out after dark since I was eleven."

"Aren't you cold?"

She snuggled closer. "Nope."

"Okay, we'll go for one more spin, then head back."

"Thank you."

By the time they returned to the garage the sky had darkened to a deep twilight blue. Keith waited for Allura to climb off first, then watched as she winced from sitting for so long in one position.

"You okay?" he smirked as he pulled off his helmet, ruffled his hair and slid off the bike. "Stiff?"

"A little." She pulled her helmet off, handed it to him. "But it was worth it." She moved in, kissed him. "Well worth it."

"We should probably go to bed." Because there were two suns on Arus, the days were very long, once night fell, it was quite late and usually time to retire.

She feigned indignation. "Commander! What happened to taking things slow?"

He smirked and set the helmets on a rack on the wall. "I didn't say together," he reminded and laughed when she pouted. "I should check in with Pidge, make sure everything is okay."

She sighed and leaned her head against his chest. "Will you walk me to my rooms first?"

"Yes." And he did. Once they were outside her chambers, she leaned against him again.

"Kiss me good night?"

Keith glanced around to ensure they were alone, then leaned down and kissed her. When she tried to tug him through the door of her chambers, he laughed and resisted.

"Tuck me in?"

"No." He had to draw the line somewhere. "You're going to get me in trouble."

"You're no fun."

He nipped at her pouting lip, then kissed her again. "I can be." He caressed her cheek. "Good night, Allura."

"Good night, Masari." That earned her a third kiss, and then he tugged his hand away.

"Go to bed," he grinned and watched her step inside. He waited until the door closed, before leaning his head against it. He wished he could tuck her in. God, how he wished he could. With a sigh, he headed off to the control room.


	5. Chapter 5

_Spoilers for Crossed Signals. Keith is trying to deal with what he has learned from the Arusian ship and Allura is trying to make him understand that it can be a good thing. Thanks everyone for the reviews!_

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He was from Arus. His grandfather had been a Knight of Arus. Keith shook his head, leaned forward with his elbow on his desk and cradled his pounding his head. How was this possible? How was it that everything he knew was...wrong? The one thing in the universe he had always been sure of was who he was, and now...now he wasn't sure at all

Allura had tried to talk to him when they got back from the Arusian explorer ship but he'd been too shaken you then. He'd kept up his calm facade, even after Lance's stupid comment, but he'd started shaking the moment he had gotten back to his rooms.

He kept hearing the holograms on the ship over and over in his mind, especially the one that was obviously attacked as he relayed the message. Those people died, decades, possibly centuries ago, but he couldn't help feel somehow responsible. They had kept referring to him, but it wasn't until the last message that he saw with Allura, the one of his great grandfather that he understood, that his father Kenneth Kogane was Commander Kogane's grandson.

He'd had no chance to ask his great grandfather's hologram any questions before they were forcibly ejected from the ship, just before it rammed the Haggarim ship that Lotor had directed at Voltron. All that information, about the lions and the fifth planet was lost, including whatever it could have revealed about him and his true origins.

Plagued by nightmares about the people on the ship, about himself, running away or too something but never getting there, he hadn't slept properly in several days. He just couldn't get his head around it and unfortunately he had no family left to ask what was true and what was not. The Arusian archives had been lost during the war with planet Doom decades ago. There was no paper trail, no way to confirm what that ship had told him.

It was eating him up inside. If he really was from Arus, if his ancestor had been a Knight of Arus, then technically he was of noble blood, which meant that he could publicly be with Allura, but what if it wasn't true? What if it was somehow a ruse, somehow another trick of Wade or Lotor's? He couldn't let himself hope, not without proof. And even with proof, why had no one told him? Why had he been brought up thinking he was from Earth?

Allura seemed to accept what they had learned easily enough, but he just couldn't. How could he turn his back on everything he had ever known? Granted, he had always felt a strong connection to Arus, but he had put that down to his bond with Black Lion and of course to his feelings for Allura. He had begun to think of Arus at home, because he had spent so much time here, not because he was actually Arusian.

He rose and moved to his window, looking down at the courtyard where Lance and Hunk played a game of tennis. They had explained the game to Allura years ago and so she had a court constructed for them, but he had never been interested in the game himself. Tennis, an Earth activity. He was from Earth, God damn it!

He hit the wall in frustration, startled when the door to his office chimed. Reigning in his feelings, he schooled his features, returned to sit at his desk and gave the command to enter.

Allura stepped inside. "Are you busy?"

His gaze softened. "No." He ran his hands over his face and smirked as he sat back in his chair. "Just slowly losing my mind."

She walked over crouched by his chair and touched his arm. "I know how confusing this is for you, Keith."

"Do you?" How could she? She was who she knew herself to be, the Princess Allura of Arus. She hadn't had her entire life ripped out from beneath her.

"Well, no, not really," she admitted. "But you have to find a way to accept what has happened."

He looked exhausted she thought sadly. Pale and exhausted and she knew the information they had learned on that Arusian ship weighed heavily on him. They had not told anyone else yet of his true lineage.

Keith seemed unwilling to accept the news as well and that hurt her, a little. She didn't understand why he wasn't as happy as she was, because it finally solved his main argument about being with her. As the descendant of a Knight of Arus he had every right to court and even marry her, if he wanted to, yet he wasn't happy; he was filled with unease and pain.

She wondered if that meant he didn't really want to be with her after all. As long as he had a solid reason, well solid to him anyway, why they couldn't be together he could keep her at arms length. Not what they had done together the last few weeks hadn't been incredibly intimate, but he was adamant about not taking it to the next level. She didn't know if he was protecting her or himself.

"How can I, Allura? How can I just forget everything because a few holograms on a ship from a century ago tells me it's true? How do we know those holograms weren't reprogrammed by someone just to mess with my mind? How..."

She crawled into his lap and wrapped her arms around his neck, smiling when his arms slid around her and she felt him sigh. "I don't think that's what it was, Keith," she soothed. "We couldn't access anything, what makes you think anyone else could? And Lotor was obviously after the ship for a reason, if he had already accessed it, why would he bother to fight Voltron for it?"

"I don't know!" Keith moaned, rested his chin atop her head. "It must have been someone, someone we don't know about. Wade, before he merged with that thing...maybe..."

"Same thing. If Wade had been on that ship then he'd have been able to access to all the data of Voltron." She ran a hand over his chest, soothingly. "No, Keith. That ship accepted you because it knew you, or at least knew your great grandfather. It protected you, protected us by following the command you gave it."

"But I didn't..."

"You did, Keith. It knew what you were going to do, knew you meant to ram that other ship to protect Voltron and that's why it ejected us and carried out your plan."

She made sense, he knew she made sense, but it was so much to take in, so much to believe and trust. He closed his eyes as he felt her lips touch his neck, his throat, then under his chin. "Are you trying to distract me?"

"Yes."

"It's working." When her lips found his, he let himself be lost in the kiss as his hand travelled back and forth across her legs and hips. Their passion for each other continued to distract him for another few minutes before the doubts and anxiety crept back in again and he pulled back.

"I'm sorry, Allura." He couldn't do this now, not now.

"Keith..." She played with the hair at the back of his neck as he met her gaze. "If this is true, it changes things for us."

"Yes."

"Is that what bothers you?"

He scowled. "What?"

"Are you unwilling to accept it as truth because it removes the barrier you have in place to keep us from...getting too close?"

"Allura, we have been close..."

"Not all the way...close."

He sighed and ran his hand down her blond hair. "That...it has nothing to do with that." He could see the uncertainty in her eyes. "I _do_ want to be with you. Please believe that, and we will make love, Allura." He kissed her lips. "It isn't about that. I swear to you. I just..."

"Keith, I know you're upset and confused, but don't you realize what this means for us?"

"What do you mean?"

Pain sliced through Allura's heart and she slid off his lap, moved to the window and wrapped her arms around herself. "Nothing. Forget I said anything." She turned and headed for the door, but Keith was over his desk and had his hand on her arm before she could make it through.

"Allura, wait."

"Why?" She tried to shrug him off. "Was this all just a game to you? Were your intentions never honourable?"

"Hey!" He caught her other arm, turned her to face him. "What kind of talk is that? Of course this isn't a game. You know how much I care about you, Allura."

She lifted shimmering blue eyes to his. "No, Keith, I really don't. You seem to like being with me and we obviously have chemistry, but you've continued to push me back. Whenever we get too close you remind me that we are not the same." She put her hands on his chest. "But we are the same, Keith. I'm sorry that this news about your family has hurt and frightened you, but we are the same and you can't or won't see that!"

Keith gaped at her. "Wait. You think..."

Could she really think he didn't want to be with her with all his heart? He loved her! Didn't she understand that? He was only trying to keep them grounded and save them both from hoping for something that could never...His thoughts stalled suddenly as her words finally registered and the enormity of his error hit him full in the face. Shit.

"Allura, no. That isn't..." She thought he didn't want to be with her, didn't want to spend his life with her at his side. "Sweetheart, it's because of what it could mean for us that I am having such a hard time believing it."

She blinked. "That...I don't understand."

He cupped her cheek, caressed her. "I need proof. I need to know for sure because...because if I just accept it and let myself believe..." He took a deep breath; he hated when his emotions overcame his reason. "If I let myself believe that you can truly be mine, that we can truly be together, and then find out that it's a lie...It would...it would crush me, Allura. I would never recover from having you taken away again. Do you understand?"

Allura's eyes glistened with moisture. He did love her, he really did. "I...I think so."

"Also, it's a lot to take in, being told you're someone that you not."

"Keith, you're still you..."

"I know that, I know, but...but so much of who I am comes from my belief that I'm from Earth, Allura. I mean, how would you feel if you were suddenly told you weren't actually the Princess of Arus? That your mother was a housekeeper back on Earth, and your father a ship mechanic?"

"They are both noble professions, so I do not believe I would be any less proud of them or myself." She watched him roll his eyes. "I admit it would take getting used to, not being a Princess. I'd feel uncertain, of course, and question my identity because all I've ever known is my life here on..." Finally it dawned on her the real problem he was having. "Oh."

"Yeah. Oh."

She wrapped her arms around his waist as his dilemma settled over her. Keith had no one back on Earth to speak to about this, was that what was upsetting him? He had no one he could either confirm with or blame for withholding the truth from him. No, there was no one on Earth for him, but perhaps there was something here he could speak with.

Rising, she held out her hand to him. "Come with me."

"Where?"

"To learn the truth."

He took her hand and followed her out.

When they entered the royal tombs he figured out where they were going and suddenly held back. He had spoken with the spirit of King Alfor only twice before, once when he first became a pilot for black, and then again just before their main battle with the witch Haggar and Lotor.

He could never speak to the king without Allura, but even so, he didn't fully understand how the magic that grounded the dead king to his daughter worked. Would Allura's father know or sense the things Keith had done with Allura, how their relationship had changed? Did a ghost or magic spirit get angry or vengeful? Could they physically harm a living person?

"What's wrong?" Allura asked when Keith stopped walking just outside her father's tomb.

"I...I think I'll wait out here."

"Why? It is you who has the questions that he may be able to answer."

"He...he may not even come, Allura. We should just leave it and...you need to speak to him when it's important. No sense...ah...draining his spirit, magic, whatever."

Allura regarded him, confused, saw the way his hands fidgeted and the heightened color in his cheeks. "Why Keith? You're afraid to speak to my father." A bashful Keith Kogane! It was absolutely adorable. "You know he can't hurt you."

"I'm not afraid. I just think we should reconsider bothering him with something like this when we may need him later to...to...help with the Lions."

"Oh, come on." She opened the panel and hauled him inside. She walked to her father's tomb, and waited, keeping hold of Keith's hand, despite the fact he tried to pull away.

"Let go," he hissed, respectful of where they were and the intense quiet. "Allura, come on."

"Hush. I need to concentrate."

Keith watched as she closed her eyes and centered herself, calling to her father. The dead king didn't always appear, and Keith kind of hoped he wouldn't this time either. His hopes were dashed as the shimmer of Alfor's spirit appeared before them. Shit! He ripped his hand away from Allura's before she could stop it.

"My daughter, why have you summoned me?"

"Keith needs to speak with you, Father. He is quite distressed."

Alfor turned his ghostly gaze to Keith. "How may I help the leader of Voltron?"

"Your Majesty," Keith offered, going down on one knee and bowing his head. "Your counsel is always wise and greatly appreciated. Your wisdom has aided us with securing Black Lion once again into the fold and I thank you for that."

King Alfor bowed his head lightly.

"Father..." Allura began, only to have her father's spirit interrupt her.

"Will you leave us, daughter? I wish to speak with the Commander privately."

Allura scowled, looked at Keith who was still on his knee with his head bowed. "I...do you not need me to..."

"I need only your presence for my summons, my daughter. I can maintain for a short while after you have gone."

Allura didn't want to go. She wanted to know the truth now as much as Keith did, however she would not disobey her father. "As you wish, father." She put her hand on Keith's shoulder. "I'll just be outside, Keith."

He did not respond, just stayed in the same position as before. He heard her leave, then slowly lifted his eyes to the dead King.

"Rise, my son. We will speak as equals here."

Keith stood and put his hands behind his back.

"I sense great...confusion in you and...fear?"

"Yes, your majesty." He couldn't exactly lie to a ghost now could he?

"You wish to know your heritage?"

Keith nodded and quickly explained about the Arusian ship.

"The ship is from a time past and was indeed piloted by your great-grandfather, Sir Keithan Kogane. You were named for him."

Keith felt his legs tremble, sway and wished he had something behind him to hold on to. When the King waved to the platform of his tomb, Keith discarded ceremony and settled down upon it. "So...I am Arusian?"

"You are half Arusian, your mother was human, and so it was on Earth where you were raised."

Keith ran his hands over his face and tried to calm his breathing. "How? Why did no one ever tell me?"

"It was necessary. Your family were well known on Arus, and through much of the galaxy due to their association with Voltron. You had many allies, but also many enemies as well. "

"So...it was for protection?"

"Yes."

"But...why didn't anyone ever tell me?" Keith demanded angrily. "Why keep it a secret all this time?" If they hadn't investigated the distress call from that Arusian ship he might still not know. "It doesn't make any sense?"

"This I do not know. I can only say that only your parents knew of your true heritage and that they had intended to tell you when you reached the age of maturity."

Keith felt his heart cleave in two, his parents had died when he was five, so they had never had the chance to tell him. "No one else knew?"

"Only those of the royal court, and all were lost in Doom's attacks years ago."

Keith considered this then rose and looked at the dead king. "Not all of them. Coran was a member of the Royal Court. Does he know?"

The king was silent.

"He does. He knew who I was and he said nothing!"

"He was aware, yes."

Rage filled Keith. He had trusted Coran, admired him and he had kept this to himself! "Why wouldn't he tell me?"

"Perhaps he felt you were not ready to hear the truth?| Alfor suggested. "Or that it was not his place to do so." The king's image started to fade. "I must rest now. Do not allow your pain and confusion to turn to rage, Commander. It will defeat all you have accomplished."

"I...thank you, King Alfor," Keith managed remembering his place.

Allura glanced up as Keith exited her father's tomb and immediately moved towards him, but sensed something was off. "Keith? What did he say?"

"It's true," he growled as he caught her hand and pulled her along with him out of the catacombs. "Coran knew. He fucking knew!"

Allura's eyes widened. "Why...why wouldn't he tell us?"

"I don't know, but we're going to find out.


	6. Chapter 6

_Sorry for the wait everyone, as I mentioned in my last KA story I was momentarily blocked. Guess I am writing too many stories too quickly, Should I slow down to one post a month maybe? :-) Anyway, this entire scene came to me in a dream and I thought it was simply brilliant because it was completely different from the resolution in Princess and Pilot. I hope you agree, but if you don't like it, feel free to tell me that too. Only one , possibly two more chapters to go and this will be finished! Thank you all for the support and the reviews.  
_

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Coran glanced up as the chime to his office sounded. He gave the instruction to enter and Keith and Allura stepped inside. He smiled at them.

"Ah, Princess. Commander. What can I do for you?"

"Coran," Allura began, feeling the waves of anger and betrayal coming off of Keith. "You read our report on the Arusian ship?"

"Yes. It was quite fascinating, actually. A shame that we were unable to recover any of the data onboard before it was destroyed."

"Yes. It is." She looked at Keith. He had promised to let her do the talking, unless he believed Coran was lying to them, in which case he would step in and force the truth. "Coran, is there any reason you can think of that those holograms might have been referencing Commander Kogane?"

Coran sat back in his chair, folded his fingers across his stomach and regarded them quietly. "Yes." He watched Keith lunge forward, saw the flash of anger in his eyes before Allura's hand on his shoulder held him in place.

"Why didn't you tell me," Keith ground out, fighting for control. He had trusted this man, considered him a friend and Coran had betrayed him, just as Wade had done. "What possible reason could you have for not telling me the moment you met me who I really was?"

"I had been made aware of some of the details regarding Commander Kogane's legacy through my father, before I took over his position as Royal Advisor, however I did not have all the information additional files on your family had been lost years ago. I did not immediately make the connection at our first meeting, Commander, and then there was too much to do in battling planet Doom and restoring Arus to its former glory." Coran sighed. "I suspected that there was a possibility you were descendant from Keithan Kogan, but I had no real proof of it."

"When did you have proof?"

"About a year after you joined us. The Voltron team had been battling Haggar the Witch and Voltron was separated. Your lion was damaged and had crashed on Arus, but we were unable to locate you. Princess Allura came to me and said she had a vision of where you were, and that you were calling out to her. It was because of her vision that we managed to locate you."

Allura gasped as she realized the truth behind the statement. Keith had been badly injured in the crash and near death when she had the horrible vision. Added to that she kept hearing his voice calling to her, even though he wasn't anywhere near her. It had frightened her, badly, because she didn't understand what was happening or where he was. She had told Coran and he had immediately sprung into action.

"I...I'd forgotten about that," she admitted.

Keith scowled. He remembered crashing to Arus after battling the witch, but nothing else until he woke up in the hospital wing in the castle. "How did that prove anything?" he demanded.

"Keith, I can sometimes use my powers to read other races, but it took many years to master such a feat. At that time, I was barely starting to use it and..." She lowered her eyes, appalled that she had not made the connection herself. "At the time I could only experience it through certain people..." She wet her lips. "Certain Arusians. My people."

Keith gaped at her. She knew too? All this time she knew, or at least suspected he was Arusian? No. No, her horrified expression proved that she hadn't known, or hadn't made the connection until now. She would never betray him like this, which only left Coran.

He turned back to the elder advisor. "That was years ago. Why haven't you told me before now?"

"I was under orders not to."

"What orders? The Royal family and council were decimated except for you and Allura, so who the hell ordered you not to tell me?"

"You did, Commander."

Keith blinked. "What? What the hell does that mean?"

"Commander...Keith." Coran sighed heavily and rose. He moved over to his wall of books, pulled one of the leather bound volumes and opened it. Inside was a small data disk. "That same day when you were so badly injured that you nearly died, I suspected that if you _were_ the descendant of Sir Keithan Kogane, and a true Arusian, only one thing could save you."

"Save him?" Allura asked, confused. "But he was saved, the medical chamber healed him."

"No, Princess. The medical chamber had been damaged in one of the attacks and was not operating at full capacity. His injuries were beyond its ability to repair him."

"I...don't understand," Keith scowled as Coran walked back to his desk. "Are you saying I died?"

"After Voltron was created," Coran began as he inserted the disc into his terminal. The planets involved offered each of the original Voltron pilots a special gift. They understood the importance of their rolls and the sacrifice each man was prepared to make, and so they offered them a onetime reprieve from death."

Keith didn't like the sound of that and was surprised to find his legs going weak. He gently pulled Allura over to the two chairs opposite Coran's desk and sat down. "And you...used this...this reprieve on me?" he asked, puzzled. "Are you saying that I cheated death...that you cheated death, my death, for me?"

"Without you we could not use Voltron, and aside from that," Coran's gaze softened as it settled on Allura. "I had vowed to keep the Princess from anymore heartache. She had already lost her family, her friends and I knew that if she lost you she would be inconsolable. I knew that if you died, our Princess would also be lost to us."

Keith looked at Allura, saw the tears shimmering in her eyes. "No," he refused and turned in his chair to catch her hands, enticing her to look at him. "Allura? That isn't true is it? You're stronger than that. You..."

She shook her head. "Not then I wasn't, Keith." She was unbelievably moved by what Coran had done for her, for all of them. "He never told me how bad your injuries were, but somehow..." She put her hand to her chest. "I'm not sure if it was because of our connection, or because I couldn't yet understand or control it, but I...I could feel you dying and I...I felt like I was dying with you."

"It is true. The Princess became gravely ill after we found you, Commander, and her health seemed to decline as your death grew near. To save you both, I had to make that decision, that choice."

Keith slumped in his chair, trying to come to terms with everything Coran had said. He honestly had no memory of that time, only crashing the lion, and then waking up days later. "What...what was this gift? How did it work?"

"It was a Life Pod," Coran advised and turned his terminal screen towards them. "A device that was created with the DNA of the original Voltron Force and to be used only in the event of their death or near death. We could not use it for your grandfather as he had been off planet at the time of his death." Coran frowned. "I assume now that it was when he was leading the Arusian fleet into battle."

So, his grandfather had died on that ship when the Drule's attacked. Keith felt the bitterness of regret. "Why wasn't he in Voltron?"

"At the time, Voltron had been broken apart by the witch Haggar. Your great grandfather was on a secret mission to the fifth planet to recover information on how to reconnect Voltron."

"And...my grandfather? My father?"

"The records of your grandfather were destroyed, so I only had the knowledge of what my father had told me and that was not enough that I could be certain when we first met of your true identity."

"Then...how did you know I was...am...his descendant?"

"Because the Life Pod worked on you, and it would only work on someone with the same familial genetic code."

Keith pondered this, rubbed his chin thoughtfully. It was all so much to take in, so much to believe.

"You...said Keith ordered you not to tell him who he was, Coran," Allura said quietly. "What do you mean?"

Coran nodded. "When the Commander was placed in the Life Pod, his connection to his grandfather was immediately recalled. As he healed, he was also given the special knowledge that Sir Keithan had regarding his life, missions and of course, Voltron."

"I knew special information about Voltron?" Keith cried in surprise. "What information? Did I know how to fix Black? Where..."

Coran lifted his hand. "Almost immediately after you came out of the Life Pod again we came under attack. It was Lotor and you had to get to your Lion, but you were having trouble concentrating. There were too many memories for you to deal with; too much information inside your head and you'd had no time to adjust. Voltron was almost defeated because you were unable to perform properly."

"So...you removed those memories," Keith said quietly as he slowly began to understand.

"Yes. Arusians have an ancient technique of doing so, mainly to keep privileged or secret information from falling into the hands of the enemy."

"But, that ability was outlawed and lost to us decades ago, Coran," Allura protested, aghast. "You couldn't possibly have used such a thing on Keith!"

"I was aware of the process through my father, Allura. It may have been outlawed, but there were some in the Royal Council who considered it a useful tool, by father being one of those people. I agreed with the King and vowed never to use it, until the Commander pleaded for me to do so."

Allura looked at Keith, surprised. She couldn't picture him begging to anyone.

"Perhaps you should watch this," Coran suggested as he flipped the switch on his console. "It may help to better explain things."

On the view screen a much younger Keith Kogane in a red and white uniform and long mullet sat on a chair in Coran's office, facing the screen.

"My name is..." Keith winced and put his hand to his head as if in great pain. "C...Commander Keith Ko...Kogane. I'm a member of...the Voltron Force." Again he had to pause and just off screen they could hear Coran's voice advising they needed to act soon. "Yes. Yes." He took a deep breath. "This message is to be...played in the event that I find out my...real heritage."

"Commander..." Coran's hands appeared and dropped onto Keith's shaking shoulders.

"No. I can do it. It's just...so much..." His eyes lifted so he was staring straight into the screen. "It feels...weird talking to myself, but Keith, you...have to listen. I...that is...you are the great grandson of Sir Keithan Kogane, a Knight of Arus and the...pilot of the b...Black Lion. Your..." He hissed closed his eyes, then opened them again. "Our...father is Arusian, our mother is...from Earth. As the...descendant of a Royal Knight of Arus, there was a...bounty placed on the heads of Keithan's descendants. Keithan ordered his children and grandchildren to flee Arus, never to return. "

Keith froze. His parents had died in a car accident, but had it really been an accident? He never knew what happened to his grandparents. Had he really been under threat all the time he was growing up?

"I know all of this because of what Coran did to...s...save me, but I can't keep it." The onscreen Keith put two hands to his head bent over and cried out in agony.

"For mercy's sake, Keith, let me do it!" Coran insisted and an image of a much younger advisor appeared kneeling before the Commander. "Your heart rate and blood pressure are too high! You must stop this now or you'll die!"

Allura put her hands to her mouth, tormented to see the man she loved suffering so much.

"Yes...almost...done. Almost." The image of Keith managed again to look into the camera with pain filled eyes. "I have...too many images...and...too much information floating around in my head. I can't...Coran says it's killing me, so I've authorized him to p...perform the Mach-towl to erase it. He...he hasn't done it before and I don't know if...if he'll be able to centralize just the new memories or if I'll lose everything. If I...lose everything, he will show you this tape."

Keith gritted his teeth and bit his cheek as once more the pain took over his counterpart. How could he not remember any of this? How much pain had he been in?

"If he...manages to just r...remove the new information about...Keithan...then I...I've ordered him to not tell you the truth of our...Christ Jesus...Our heritage unless you specifically ask." The younger Keith was panting now with the effort to remain coherent and yet, as his eyes lifted, it seemed he was looking through the screen and right into Keith's soul. "I'm not ready to know. I wasn't r...ready for this at all...and it's tearing me apart. Hopefully...hopefully by the time you ask, you will be ready and a...able to accept it."

"Keith?"

"Yes! Do it! For God's sake do it!"

Coran's hands moved to either side of younger Keith's head and the screen went blank.

The room fell silent, and when Keith glanced at Allura he saw tears running down her cheek. He reached for her hand, squeezed it.

"As you can see, I was under your orders not to reveal what I knew, Commander." Coran ran his hand over his face, as if watching the video had forced him to re-live it. "I was horribly frightened I might just kill you in the attempt, but you could not stay the way you were and I had made a vow to you not to reveal your identity. I hope you will forgive me?"

Allura accepted the handkerchief that Coran passed to her over the desk and wiped at her eyes. "Keith?" she asked gently. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah. I...I think so." He didn't have the fountain of information to deal with as his younger self had, but it was still a hell of a lot to think about, a hell of a lot to accept. "I'm...sorry I was hard on you Coran."

Coran shook his head. "I understand. I've been waiting for this day to come." He rose, moved to his wall cabinet and pulled out a snifter of brandy and three glasses. "To be honest, I am relieved it is finally here." He poured the brandy, handed a glass to each of his guests then settled back at his desk and raised his glass in toast. "While it may be several years belated, welcome home, Keith. To new beginnings."

Keith felt a lump well up in his throat at the word. Home. Earth had been where he was raised, but he'd never really had a home there. He'd lived in foster homes, then school barracks then the academy. He realized that, aside from that Arusian ship where he felt so welcomed, Arus was the only place he did feel at home.

He leaned forward and clinked his glass to Coran's. "To new beginnings," he murmured as Allura repeated the toast and touched her glass to theirs as well.

They all took a sip, and Coran set his glass down on his desk, pulled out the disk and handed it to Keith. "I believe you should keep this now."

Keith accepted it and slid it into his pocket then, somehow, managed to revert to Commander mode, despite the turmoil his mind and heart was currently under. "So he...I wasn't able to tell you any of the secrets I had learned from my great Grandfather before you had to wipe my memory?"

"Sadly no. Your life was the priority and so it was lost."

"Just as the Arusian ship was destroyed and all of that data lost," Allura sighed staring into her glass.

"Well, we have already learned a great deal more about Voltron than we ever expected to," Coran encouraged. "I am sure that fate will tell us what we need to know, when we need to know it."

"Yeah." Keith took another sip of his brandy and brooded.

"Was there any other reason you came to see me, Commander?"

Keith glanced up, startled. "Huh?"

"Well, I understand you were upset and confused after hearing you were from Arus, but was there any other reason why you were upset that I hadn't told you?" Coran calmly sipped his drink and watched as Keith, as if suddenly realizing he was still holding Allura's hand, released her. "Anything else you'd like to ask me?"

Allura's eyes widened as she noticed the sparkle in the old man's eyes. He knew! Coran knew how she and Keith felt about each other. She slowly started to smile and glanced at Keith who was looking decidedly uncomfortable. "Yes, Keith. Was there anything else you wanted to ask Coran?"

His gaze shot at her, a look of panic in his eyes before he hid it behind his usual stoic expression. Did she really expect him to ask about that now? When she continued to stare at him, he realized that she did. He palms started to sweat as he turned back to Coran and took a slow, deep breath.

"Uh...yes. So...Now that I am...officially from Arus, I was wondering if it would be...okay to...ah..."

Shit. He'd rather face that Haggarium infested spider robeast again than do this. Well, suck it up, Commander. Spit it out and get it over with.

He finished off his drink, set the glass on Coran's desk and rose. "I'd like permission to court Allura, Coran."

Coran nodded almost immediately and smiled at the pleasure on his Princess' face. "Yes, of course. You have my permission and my blessing."

Keith blinked. "Really?" He hadn't expected the man to say yes so quickly.

Coran nodded and rose as Allura also stood. "I hope you will both be very happy." He embraced Allura and kissed her cheek, then offered his hand to Keith and when the Commander took it, added. "It's been exhausting watching you two try to keep it a secret."

Allura and Keith both gaped at him and turned bright red.

"You...you knew I was already seeing Keith?" Allura stammered, appalled that he had known that much. She had only suspected him of guessing their feelings, not that they were actually dating.

"Of course I knew. I am the Royal Advisor, nothing goes on in this castle that I don't know about."

"What about the...council?"

Coran waved a hand in dismissal. "They will do whatever makes our Princess happy." He smiled at her. "Barring that, they will do whatever I tell them to do, as I know all their secrets."

Keith laughed suddenly. He had to admit, Coran had more gall and guts than anyone else he knew. "I'm glad you're on our side," he grinned.


	7. Chapter 7

_Had to repost this chapter as I got confused between my two stories, not much as changed just a bit at the end with the bath._

* * *

Allura entered the castle kitchens and paused as she spotted the large refrigerator already open and a small form standing in the light from it. "Pidge?"

The small pilot suck his head out, flushed and grinned. "Oh...er...hi Allura. What are you doing here?"

"I couldn't sleep," she admitted, tightened the sash on her robe and shuffled over to select a glass from the cupboard. "I was going to get some juice."

"Oh." Pidge's head disappeared again then he returned with a bottle of juice and a plate of cold chicken. "Me too please."

She took a second glass and followed him to the large kitchen island in the center. Settling on one of the stools she poured the juice as Pidge pulled the transparent covering off the chicken and set it between them.

"Why are you up this late?"

"I do my best work once everyone else is gone to sleep," he admitted as he retrieved two plates then settled opposite her. "Unlike Hunk, who can fall asleep leaning against the wall, my brain sometimes had a hard time shutting down."

Allura smiled and selected a piece of chicken. "You always work so hard for all of us, Pidge. I really don't know where we'd be without you."

"You work just as hard, Allura." Pidge shoved his glasses a little higher on his nose then picked up a breast of chicken. "But, unlike me, I doubt the reason you can't sleep has anything to do with analysis systems and quad generator fields."

She chuckled. "No, that is true."

"Are you and Keith okay? You guys aren't fighting again are you?"

Allura blinked in shock. Did Pidge know about her and Keith. "I..."

The younger pilot scowled. "Sorry, is it supposed to be a secret that you're together?"

"You know about...that? Did Keith tell you?"

"Well, you both did, really. I mean you'd have to be blind not to see that you guys have become close and, frankly, I may need these glasses, but I'm far from blind." He shrugged and bit into his chicken. "Besides, Keith has been a lot happier lately and so have you. And you guys watch each other all the time when you think no one else is watching, a sure sign of a mutual attraction, plus you spend a lot of time in the Commander's room."

Allura flushed. "How...how do you know that?"

"Keith may be in charge of security, but I created the system." He lifted his hands in apology when he saw her red face. "I'm not spying on you guys or anything, but whenever there is movement in the castle after hours I get an alert; it's the only way to properly protect from invaders."

"I...I see."

"I haven't mentioned it to anyone," he assured quickly. "And I never would! Really, it's just a security measure and the Commander fully approved it. I...I mean he knows that I know, but he also knows I would never say anything because that is between you and him and...oh...Please don't be upset! I have to be hands on to protect everyone, because of anyone ever got to you, like Haggar did that time, or if anyone was hurt, then...then I'd never forgive myself if I just let it happen and..."

She reached across and caught his waving hand, squeezed. "Thank you, Pidge, for being so vigilant, and keeping us all safe."

It was Pidge's turn to blush. "You're welcome. I'm sorry if I embarrassed you. I really didn't mean to and I think it's awesome that you and...S..sorry. I'll stop talking about it now."

She smiled again and marveled at how Pidge always managed to do that for her, simply by being honest and speaking his mind. "I'm glad you did, to be honest."

"R...really?" His head reared up, surprised. "Why?"

"It's just awfully nice to be able to tell someone!"

"In that case." He grinned and lifted his juice glass. "Congratulations."

She laughed and clinked her glass to his. "I don't really have any girlfriends, you know, to discuss these things with. Larmina is too young for me to feel comfortable talking to her."

"Hey, everyone needs someone to talk to about these things, so I'm happy to be your girlfriend, if you want."

Her eyebrows rose. "Really, Pidge? Wouldn't that be uncomfortable for you?"

"Not at all. How often do you see me uncomfortable?"

True. The little genius was often the most mature of all of them and seemed knowledgeable on a vast array of subjects. Sure he blushed a moment ago, but that was because he had thought she was uncomfortable.

"Do you know anything about relationships, Pidge?"

"Just what I've read and observed."

"Have you ever been in love?"

"Yes."

Allura blinked in surprise. She had never even seen the young man date! "Really?"

"Of course. I'm not heartless you know."

"I never thought that, I just...well...You never seem very interested in...dating."

"I'm not. I was in love once and it was enough to last me forever." He smiled at her. "So I do know exactly how you and Keith feel about each other."

Her heart melted in pleasure and sympathy. "So, what happened? Are you no longer together or are you in a long distance relationship or..." She paused suddenly as she realized how personal she was getting. "I...forgive me. If you don't want to talk about it I understand."

"It's okay." He grinned as he finished off his chicken then reached for another piece. "We were very young when we met, we grew up together and became best friends, and over time that friendship became love. We were very happy together." He stared down at the food in his hand quietly for a moment as he allowed memories of his love to flood him. "Her field was incurable diseases, planets from all over the solar system contacted her for help and she managed to find a cure for most of them...But, she became infected after an accident in her lab and there was simply no hope after that."

"Oh, Pidge." Allura felt tears sting her eyes as she again reached for his hand. "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to bring up such a sad memory."

"Sad?" he asked, curious, lifting dry, sparking eyes to hers. "Why would talking about this make me sad?"

"Well...she...she died, didn't she? You lost her."

He smiled and it was a smile of pure contentment. "I'll never lose her, Allura. She will always be part of me and all I have of her are happy memories. Whether she is here physically or not doesn't matter. She gave me something no one else ever had, ever could. How could I ever be sad about that?"

Allura was stunned. To think of all her teammates, this was the most grounded, the most secure in his feelings. "I envy you, Pidge. To love so purely."

"Why? You love the Commander and I am sure it is just as strong as what I had with Wynn. I look forward to many happy years for both of you."

"I hope so too."

"And I meant what I said, you can feel free to talk to me about anything, I'm happy to listen." He paused and held her gaze. "Though, I think sharing such feelings with the one you love trumps sharing them with a ninja-genius girlfriend."

Allura laughed again and felt the rest of her stress melt away. She finished off her juice and her food then rose. "You know, I think you're right." She moved to the sink to wash her hands, and then returned to stand beside him. "Wynn was very lucky to have her love you, Pidge, but I don't think she'd want you to stay single and lonely forever."

"I'm not lonely, Allura." He smiled at her. "I'm just very discreet."

Her eyebrows rose in surprise then she laughed, hugged him hard and kissed his cheek. "Well, okay then."

"Good night, Princess."

"Good night, Pidge."

Allura left the kitchen and headed for Keith's room. The reason she hadn't been able to sleep was because now that she was Queen, she was so busy with her royal duties that she'd had no real time to be with Keith. Plus she was feeling horribly left out of the team, now that Larmina flew the Blue Lion. She supposed Pidge felt much the same, having given up Green Lion to Vince, but he seemed content enough to be working on his projects.

She brushed her hand over the door chime at the side and waited. The door opened a moment later and there was the man she loved, wearing only the bottom half of his uniform. Without speaking she threw herself into his arms and allowed the door to swing closed behind her.

"Well, hello to you too." He reached behind her to engage the lock then curled his arms around her. "I was just thinking about you."

"You were?" she murmured as she pressed her face against his bare chest and inhaled his scent. "What were you thinking?"

"That I missed you and that you've been working too hard."

She sighed and snuggled closer, content to just be in his arms and away from everyone and everything. "Can I stay?"

"Yes."

She lifted her gaze to his, surprised that he didn't even argue. "Really?"

He smirked. "Yeah. I think I'd like to hold you while I sleep." He kissed her nose then pulled away and took her hand. "And _only_ sleep."

Allura smiled then pretended to pout and brushed her fingers over his shirt. "You're really quite horrible to me."

"Because I want to hold you?"

She smacked him. "Because you don't want to do more than hold me."

"You're killing me," he groaned, pulled her close again.

She giggled. "How?"

"Because you keep offering..." He blushed and left the rest off.

"Offering what?"

"Offering...you!" He smirked, knowing she was teasing him. "Enough of that. I'm beat, let's go to sleep."

"Keith? When will we?"

"When it's right." He pulled her over to his sleeping area, removed his Volcom and set it on the charger.

Allura pulled off her robe and climbed between the sheets with Keith. She flushed at being in the same bed with him, but then he pulled her close, ordered the lights off and she felt immediately comfortable.

Resting her head against his chest, her fingers lightly caressed his forearm. "Do you think I was wrong, Keith?"

"About what?"

"About stepping down as Blue Lion."

"Do you think you were wrong?"

If she could make up her mind she wouldn't be asking him. "I don't think so, but I'd like your opinion."

Keith missed having Allura on the team, but at the same time he was relieved that she would no longer be in constant danger piloting Blue. Her people did need her, and her duties were already starting to affect the amount of time they saw each other, but he didn't stop loving her because of it. He knew they couldn't be together all of the time, they weren't teenagers and really didn't need to be to maintain their bond.

"No. I don't think you were wrong. I think it was time for you to serve your people and I am very proud of you for making the choice, Allura. It was a very brave thing to do."

Her entire body deflated in relief. Just those few words of encouragement from him made the world of difference and eased her mind dramatically. "Do...do you think the time will ever come for you to make a similar choice, Keith?"

"Absolutely not! I'll be piloting Black until they pry my cold dead body from teh controls."

She sat up with a start, turned horrified eyes on him. "What?"

He grinned. "I'm kidding!" He accepted the light smack to his chest then pulled her back against him again, felt her tremble. "Sorry. Sorry. That was a bad joke. I'm sorry." He knew she worried about him whenever he was in Black, just as he worried about her; or had.

"That wasn't funny at all!"

"I know. I'm sorry." He hugged her too him, then tilted her face so he could kiss her. "I'm sorry."

She nodded and leaned against him again. "So...what's the real answer then?"

"One day I will have to give up Black, I know that."

"But you don't want to."

"Of course not, he's part of me now, but I can't be his pilot forever."

Allura chewed on her lower lip. "But not any time soon, then?"

"I know you want me to be with you, Allura. I want to be with you too, but piloting Black is not just about skill. Whoever takes him has to be a leader, a good one. It's my responsibility to make sure that he goes to the right person, but it doesn't mean that I want to be the one to fly him forever."

She sighed. "I...I just wish...well, now that I'm Queen and we've had your talk with Coran I thought we could be together as we should be."

"We will be." He squeezed her. "I promise we will be, and until then..." He slid his hand across her waist in a playful caress, then dipped lower and heard her breath catch. "We can go for motorcycle rides, and share dinner together and..."

"Sleep together?"

"Maybe, but not all the time."

"I can accept that." Allura smiled and closed her eyes. "For now."

Keith hugged her, then closed his eyes and they both drifted off.


	8. Chapter 8

_Okay, so I got my stories confused on my last update, happens when you writing more than one at a time, so I edited the last bits of Chapter 7 to remove the bath scene. The rest plays out, the same but they don't take a bath together, as I realized that they haven't made love in this story yet._

_Anyway, here it is, the final chapter, I hope you enjoy it and it was worth the wait. Nice long one for ya  
_

* * *

Allura rolled her eyes as the doors to the ballroom opened and trumpets sounded. She had refused a coronation ceremony, despite her teammates and Coran trying to do one for her anyway, but she had been strictly outvoted regarding a celebration ball. Coran had used the love of her people against her by insisting that her subjects deserved to rejoice for their Queen; even if Allura was against it.

She had chosen a long, blue and gold gown, for the occasion, which felt completely ridiculous and foreign against her former uniform or the usual snug-fitting suits she favored. The hall was filled with locals, as well as several visiting dignitaries, which she had _not_ agreed to and she would reprimand Coran later for inviting them.

Because of the event, she knew that only a portion of the Voltron Force would be in attendance, as despite their recent defeat of their enemies, Keith insisted that they still needed to monitor against any sudden invasion or attack. The Commander had volunteered to do just that with Pidge, but that left her to enter on Coran's arm, instead of Keith's.

The crowd formed a long reception line on both sides of the doorway and all eyes turned towards her as people began to bow or curtsy respectably. She put her royal smile in place. "I will ensure that you regret this farce at a later date, Coran," she said through gritted teeth as she moved through the people, greeting each person and smiling.

Coran chuckled. "I'm sure you will."

All too quickly the faces of her guests began to blur, until she finally saw a very familiar one.

Lance looked dashing in black slacks, and a red and black waist coat with red and silver braid. He accepted the hand she offered bowed low from the waist and brought her knuckles to his lips. "Looking magnificent as always, my Queen."

"Knock it off," she muttered, even as her lips softened into a real smile. "You're such a flirt."

"Of course." He winked at her. "But just for you."

"I hate this," she whispered.

"We share your pain, your Majesty."

She smirked and smiled at Hunk. "Hello, Hunk."

"Hey, All...um...Princ...er...ah..." He glanced at Lance, horrified. "Crap, what do I call her again?"

Lance rolled his eyes. "Idiot."

"I can't call her that!"

"Allura is still fine, Hunk." She leaned in and kissed his cheek, making him flush. She then addressed Vince and hugged Larmina, before continuing down the line.

Finally, the music began and Coran led her to the floor to start the dancing, as was proper etiquette at a royal ball.

"I apologize that it must be me, my dear," he offered as he flawlessly danced her around the room. "I'm sure you would prefer the Commander."

"I'd prefer to not be here at all." She smiled at him as she said it, because she knew that everything he did was for her. "But I always love dancing with you, Coran."

"Ah, well that is because I am so very good at it."

She laughed. "Of course." It was, after all, he who had taught her to dance; taught her so many things really. While she no longer had her father's spirit to counsel her, she knew she could always still count on the Royal Advisor, who held just as special a place in her heart as her own father did.

"Your people look very happy, Allura."

Allura glanced around as other joined them on the dance floor and she could see from their proud affectionate gazes that Coran was right, as always. They had needed this, needed to see her as their Queen.

"I'm not going to say it."

He nodded. "I expect no less."

"And next time you try and push something like this on me I may have you drawn and quartered."

"As you see fit, my Queen."

"But my people do look happy, so thank you."

"They are happy because their Queen is happy," he reminded calmly. "And you do seem happier, Allura. Shall I assume that is because of a certain Black Lion pilot?"

She blushed prettily. "Perhaps."

"I am pleased, truly."

Allura finished her dance with Coran, then mingled with her people for awhile, before doing her duty and accepting dances with several other men, including Lance. Finally, she found herself back in her mentor's arms again.

"My feet hurt," she moaned as Coran led her across the floor. "What time does this thing end?"

"Now my dear, you know these things can last several hours, and you have been here barely for two."

"I have work to do..."

"Nonsense. Tonight you are to enjoy yourself."

Allura wanted to roll her eyes, but didn't because she knew that everyone was watching her and she had to act as a Queen, not a disgruntled child.

"On another subject, when shall we prepare the announcement?"

"Announcement?"

"Of yours and the Commander's betrothal of course."

Allura missed a step in shock. "W...what? Coran, we...we've only just started courting." He looked down at her, raised an eyebrow and she flushed again. "I...I mean officially."

"Yes, yes, of course. However, the courtship will lead to a marriage, will it not?" He scowled. "Is that not the Commander's intent?"

"I...I'm sure...eventually that is the intent." She couldn't be absolutely positive of course as Keith tended to avoid that topic and she didn't want to push him on it for fear he would become angry. "Y...yes, but Coran, please..." She started to chew on her lower lip, remembered she was in public and immediately stopped the habit. "Keith doesn't like to be rushed. If you start pressuring him..."

"Pressure? Keith is an honourable man and a fierce warrior, Allura. I do not believe he would consider a request for a commitment to be pressure..."

"Perhaps not, but there is a lot going on right now, I mean what with Daniel's Haggiarum infection and Keith having to take back Black Lion and..."

"What does his returning as Black's pilot have to do with an engagement announcement?"

"Well, he...he's still a Voltron pilot and as long as he is he can't...I mean we can't..." She lifted her gaze to Coran. "C...Can we?"

Coran sighed. "Allura, none of that matters. It has been decided that the Commander may court you, whether he is a pilot of Voltron or your new gardener, your happiness is all that matters."

She stared at him, stunned, and then broke into a wide smile. "Really? It really doesn't matter?"

"Of course not!"

"Well, I'm glad of that, but, Coran, please don't plan any announcements yet? Keith simply won't..." Her words caught in her throat as the song ended and she spotted the man she adored standing across the room, staring at her.

The gathered crowd parted as Commander Keith Kogane walked towards their Queen, dressed in a black military tuxedo, trimmed with gold braid at the shoulders and wrists and shining gold buttons down both sides of the open jacket. His shirt was the same deep blue of Allura's dress.

He stopped in front of the Queen and Coran, causing a flurry of murmurs and more than one affectionate smile as he bowed low from the waist.

"My Queen."

Allura flushed with pleasure, felt her temperature skyrocket, and all her royal composure flew out the window at the stunningly attractive man before her. He looked like a prince from a fairytale. "I...you...I thought you were on watch?"

"I am, but I didn't want to miss a chance to dance with my Queen." He smiled and extended his hand. "Shall we?"

She beamed at him and slid into his arms as the music began again.

"Oh Keith." Joy filled her as he danced her around the room with ease and grace. "You...you look...amazing."

He smiled. "My aunt would say I shine up like a new penny." He waited as Allura laughed in delight, then leaned close to whisper in her ear. "My God, Allura. You take my breath away."

"Oh, Keith." She wanted to move closer, lean her had against his chest and have him hold her tight, but she knew it would not be acceptable for her to do so in such a public venue. "I'm glad you could be here. It seems to have stayed quiet tonight, anyway."

"Well, with most of our enemies thwarted it seems we might just catch a break."

"Most? Haggar, Lotur, Maahox and Wade are all gone. Isn't that all of them?"

"Those were just the obvious ones. There are still people out there who want to corrupt or bring down the Galaxy Alliance and Arus."

"Keith! It's peace time!"

"Yes, and I intend to make sure that peace lasts as long as possible."

She stared at him, sighed. Keith had been in the military most of his life, she knew that he would probably always be preparing for the next battle and she accepted this about him, but she worried that his preoccupation might hinder their future together. Would he ever really and truly be able to settle down?

If he couldn't stop being a soldier would he ever be ready to become a King? Coran was right, if they were courting and if Keith's intentions were to eventually marry her, which she was reasonably sure they were, then why did they need to hesitate? Why was she so afraid to pressure him on a decision? She had never had an issue discussing anything with him before. She could talk to him about any problem...so why was she hesitating on this one?

"Keith?"

"I love you."

Tears flooded her eyes before she could stop them and she looked up at him, startled. How did he do it? How did he always know just the right thing to say to her at just the right time? "I...love you, too." Taking a deep breath she pushed forward. "Coran asked me..." She wet her lips. "Coran thinks..."

Now she was pressuring him! Would he see it that way? But Coran was right, if they were officially courting an engagement announcement would have to be released relatively soon, but how soon would that be? She was so busy with her duties and Keith with his. Wouldn't it be just more of the same as this past two weeks? More of them missing each other because they were so busy and being unable to spend time together?

If that was the case, maybe she should ask him. Maybe it was better to understand his full intentions, as Coran had suggested. She too wanted to know; needed to know that he understood how much she loved him and wanted to be, not just his Queen, but also his wife.

"Keith, will you marry me?" She had meant to say the words in her head, just to test what it would be like, but she had spoken them aloud instead and Keith's shock almost toppled them both; with only his quick reflexes keeping them from slamming into another couple.

Allura turned the color of Lance's lion and averted her eyes as Keith quickly got them back on track, but after only a couple of turns she noticed they were by the balcony doors. A minute later they were outside and Keith was closing the doors behind, muffling the sounds and music as he leaned against them.

"What?" he said, finally finding his voice.

Allura shuffled back against the railing, reached behind her to grip it and bit her lip. Was he angry? Shocked? Amused? She couldn't tell. Oh, why did she have to say that out loud? Now he would think she was being too aggressive.

"Allura."

She looked up and found he was still standing at the doors, but now his arms were crossed over his chest. "N...Nothing. Just...forget what I said."

"Do you really expect me to be able to do that?"

Fine. It was out there now, so she'd just have to deal with it. Besides, isn't this what she wanted? To show him how much he meant to her and to reveal if his intent was the same?

Gathering her courage she stepped forward and in her Queen voice, repeated her question. "Commander Kogane, I asked if you will marry me?"

"Yes."

Allura blinked in surprise. "W...what?" Her eyes widened as Keith eliminated the distance between them within seconds and took her in his arms.

"Yes. I will marry you."

Allura felt her heart drop, and then bloom in the same instant. Her body erupted into a mass of excited tingles and her palms began to sweat. "R...really?" she squeaked. "T...That means you...you'll have to be...be...my c...consort...the...the people's k...king and...and you might not be able to fly as much and you'll have to attend political meetings and..."

Keith put his finger to her lips. "Are you trying to talk me out of it?"

"No!" She flushed again. "I...I...Oh! This isn't the way it is supposed to go!" Wasn't he supposed to ask her? Why had she jumped the gun? This was nothing like what she fantasized a wedding proposal to be and now she had ruined everything and...

"Allura?"

She flushed in shame as she realized she had, again, just spoken her last though out loud. "Oh God!" She hid her face behind her hands.

"Hey." He caught he gently pulled her hands away so he could see her face. "Allura."

She lifted shy, shimmering eyes to his, watched as he dipped his hand into his jacket pocket then pulled out a small square box. Her eyes widened.

"Does the question really matter as long as the result is the same?" He opened the box to show a gold ring with a diamond solitaire surrounded by a cluster of smaller blue stones that represented the signature gem in Allura's crown.

She stared at the ring in joy and astonishment. "This...this...is this for...me?"

"No, it's for Lance, but he wanted a ruby to match his lion, so I'm giving it to you." When her eyes widened further he smirked. "Of course it's for you!"

"So...you...you were going to ask me?"

"Yes, at the end of the night, and you completely ruined the romantic setting I had planned..."

Tears filled her eyes. "I'm...sorry!"

"I'm kidding!"

"You...you weren't going to ask me?"

"Yes, I was, but..." He released a half sigh, half laugh. "It's fine."

"So...you're not angry?"

"No." He shook his head and pulled her into his arms, kissed her passionately, then pulled back and caressed her cheek. "You...completely threw me when you asked me first, but only because I was so nervous about asking you later."

"Oh, Keith." She pulled back and held out her trembling left hand. "Please. Please put it on!"

Keith complied and slid the ring onto her finger. "Looks much better on you than on Lance."

She laughed and threw her arms around him. "I love you. Oh! I love you so, so much."

"That's a relief." He hugged her hard, and then glanced at his Volcom. "Oh, we're behind schedule."

"What? What schedule?" Allura asked, just as the head of the Red Lion appeared over the railing. The mouth opened and Lance appeared, having changed into his Voltron uniform.

"We got three minutes before Coran comes through those doors," he warned and waved them forward. "Let's bolt!"

Allura giggled as Keith carefully helped her over the rail and into Lance's arms. He hopped over himself, and then Red Lion was headed around to the other side of the castle.

They entered the castle's maintenance bay, parked Red, then headed down into the catacombs to an area Allura had never been too before. Moments later they were entering a festively decorated area filled with music, friends and best of all, pizza!

"We thought we'd take you to a real party!" Lance laughed as Hunk tossed him and Keith a beer and Pidge handed Allura a glass of wine.

"Hey ya, Pri...Quee...aw hell." Hunk grabbed Allura up in a bear hug. "Welcome to your party!"

"Thank you for rescuing me from that other one!" She laughed in delight. "Where is this place, anyway?"

"It's our clubhouse!" Vince advised. "We found it months ago, and Hunk helped us dress it up. You like?"

"I do like."

Larmina stepped up and handed Allura a small bag. "Thought you'd like to slip into something more comfortable," she grinned. "Not that that dress isn't smokin' hot, but, y'know, not really cool for pizza and beer."

"Yes, thank God!" Keith stripped off his jacket and loosened the top buttons of his dress shirt; for once he was not wearing a Volcom generated outfit.

"Awww..." Allura giggled, although even with just the blue silk shirt and dark slacks Keith looked mouth-wateringly sexy. She walked with Larmina to a screen they had put up so that she could change "Where is Daniel?"

"We tried to get him to come," Vince sighed and then shrugged. "But he's still...y'know."

Allura nodded as her niece helped her out of her dress and into a pair of jeans and a T-shirt; everyone else had changed from their formal wear. "He just needs time, Vince."

"Yeah, I know. It's weird, I wish that we were still connected, y'know, mentally like before."

After they had managed to cure Daniel's Haggarium infection, he had lost the telepathic abilities he had shared with Vince, and now the young man spent almost all of his time in his room. Allura understood he was angry and upset at having Black taken from him, and that had triggered him to lose control and attack the team, but now he had been cured he had to face the reality that he had made some poor choices that could not be blamed entirely on the infection.

"Daniel will be fine." Keith assured as he sipped his beer and dropped down onto the sofa. "Facing your mistakes makes you stronger. He knows we're here to support him, he just needs to get past his own transgressions to move..."

A shriek from Larmina had all the men rising and turning toward the screen behind them.

"What?" Lance demanded, worried. "What's wrong?"

Allura flushed as her niece dragged her out from behind the screen, clutching her left hand.

"Look, look, loooookkk!"

Keith's face turned beet red as Lance, Pidge and Hunk all moved forward to inspect the ring on the Queen's finger.

"Where...did you get that?" Lance demanded.

"Ah...Keith," Allura said shyly.

Lance turned to Keith. "What the...when the hell did this happen?"

Keith scratched the back of his neck. "I...ah...just before you...um...earlier."

"Oh. My. God!" Pidge ran over and jumped into Keith's arms, giving the Commander little choice but to catch him. "You're getting marrrrriiiiieeeedddd! Can I be the DJ? Can I? I already have some tracks planned and...!"

"Get off!" Keith tossed Pidge to Hunk, who easily caught his squirming little buddy as Lance slapped him hard on the back, then pulled him in for a hard hug, which Keith did not return, then slapped him on the back again.

"You smooth bastard! Didn't even bother to tell us you were thinking about it. Of course, I'll be the best man, because...well, I am the best man and..."

"Oh!" Laramina piped up. "Can I be the maid of honor, Auntie? It would be so cool and..."

"What kinda food you gonna have?" Hunk asked.

"STOP!" Keith was very close to having a panic attack and Allura was biting her lip, hard, at seeing him so flustered. . "We...we're not getting m...it isn't happening right this minute so just...everybody calm down!"

"How can you say that? This is big news, my friend, big news and..."

"How many people do you think will be coming? I'll need to arrange an eclectic mix depending on off planet visitors..."

"Will there be beer because I really can't get a taste for that fancy stuff..."

"Auntie, do you already have a dress? Can we pick one together at the..."

Allura put her fingers to her mouth and released a piercing whistle that silenced everyone. They all turned to her, stunned, then watched her walk over to her fiancé, gently push him down onto the sofa and put a bottle of beer to his lips.

"Drink."

Keith did, wrapped his hand around hers on bottle, grateful because his hands were shaking too badly to properly hold it

Allura settled beside him, one hand still holding Keith's beer as he chugged it down, the other rubbing his arm, and looked at their friends. "Pidge, of course you can do the music, there would be no one else we could trust for such an occasion. Lance, Keith will choose his best man when he feels it is right and not before, so don't pressure him or you're out of the equation. Hunk, there will be plenty of food and beer at the wedding as it will cater to all tastes and Larmina, of course you can be my maid of honor. I would have asked you sooner had you given me the chance, but as Keith only put the ring on my finger twenty minutes ago, can you all just please take a step back and give us some time to enjoy the news ourselves?"

Everyone shifted guiltily and looked away, then Hunk mumbled something getting a drink, Lance reacted similarly and Pidge went to change over the throbbing, pounding music to a softer tune.

Vince appeared before Keith and Allura with a smile and plates of pizza. "Congratulations," he offered quietly, he had been the only one that hadn't had a crazed reaction.

She reached up, caught his tunic and pulled him down so she could kiss his cheek. "Thank you, Vince." She took hers and Keith's plate, set it on the crates that served as a coffee table as Keith leaned forward to put his empty beer bottle beside the plates.

"You okay?"

He nodded. "S...sorry."

She smiled. "Don't be." She'd seen him face attacks from robeasts, swarms of warriors and God knew what else, but a little bit of good natured ribbing from his friends on such a personal subject had almost sent him into a coma. She giggled.

"Don't laugh at me."

"I'm laughing with you."

"I'm not laughing."

She giggled again and felt him sigh, heavily. "You're so cute when you're embarrassed." Before he could protest she leaned in and kissed him on the lips. "My dashing young knight."

His cheeks flushed again, but this time he smiled. "You'll pay for that."

"I'm sure I will."

"Sorry, man." Lance appeared behind them and held another bottle of beer over Keith's shoulder. "We were just, y'know, excited for you."

Keith accepted the drink. "I know. I'm sorry too, I just..."

"It's personal," Pidge finished as he settled on the floor with his plate of pizza. "We know you're a private guy, we shouldn't have jumped on you like that. I apologize, to both of you."

Keith wrapped his hands around his beer and leaned forward as everyone else settled around them. "It's not that I don't want all of you to be part of it, or that I was keeping it a secret or anything, it's just...This was a special moment for me and Allura." It hadn't gone exactly as he had panned, but as he had said earlier, it didn't matter how they got there as long as their destination as the same. "I was planning on telling you and of course we want your help for the wedding, but it..."

"It hasn't even been announced yet," Allura added. "You, all of you, are the first to know, so let's keep it quiet until it is announced. Even then, there is no rush for a wedding. I still have a lot to do, as does Keith, so you can plan away, just do it quietly."

"I don't care where or when," Hunk assured taking a huge bite of pizza. "Long as there's food." He blinked as Lance's hand reached up and smacked him in the head. "What? What'd I say?"

Allura laughed, curled up against Keith and listened to the light-hearted banter of her friends. All of her dreams were coming true. A safe future for her people, a bevy of friends and the man she loved beside of her. It was good to be Queen.

Later that evening, Keith led Allura up the stairs to one of the tower rooms.

"Now, Keith, you can't hide me away until the wedding," she teased. "That tradition went out before my grandfather's time."

"Be quiet." He smirked as he put his Volcom against the door at the top and it slid open.

"Why does it open for you?" she asked, curious. When she had explored their new castle, quite some time ago, she had found all the tower rooms were locked and had never found the keys.

"This room only opens with the Black Lion key." He opened the door. "No idea why, but I figured it would work for what I had in mind. Now, close your eyes."

Allura did as he requested and felt him leave her side for several minutes, before his hand touched hers again and he was pulling her forward.

"Wait, step down." She did. "Okay, open your eyes."

Allura's eyes opened and her breath caught in her throat at the sight of such extraordinary surroundings. It was as if she had stepped back in time, into history. The floors were a polished hard wood, covered by massive woven rugs. A large, gleaming chandelier hung overhead with at least a hundred candles lighting the room. Other ancient wall lamps had been lit and a huge stone fireplace blazed directly across from them.

A small sitting area, an antique settee, two high-back chairs and a polished wooden writing desk sat in the center of the room. On the small rounded table between them a bottle of champagne chilling in an ice bucket.

An enormous gold and blue canopy bed occupied one wall, a massive oak wardrobe leaned against the other. In the center of the room, directly in front of the fireplace was a softy looking throw rug, along with an assortment of colorful pillows and...Allura's eyes misted, dozens of pink and blue rose petals were scattered around the room.

She turned to Keith, who was still standing by the door, as if getting ready to run. So, this had been where he had planned to propose? He must have worked so very hard to do all of this for her?

"It's...perfect, Keith."

He moved to her. "Really? Do you really like it?"

"Oh it's...more than I could ever have imagined." She stepped into his arms, held him tight and sighed. "Now I wish I hadn't rushed things by proposing first."

"Well, proposing wasn't the only thing I intended to use this room for."

"Oh?" She glanced up at him, puzzled, and then realization hit and she flushed. "Oh!"

"We don't have to!" he assured, quickly as her cheeks flamed. "If you want to wait then that is fine, but I thought, well...for our first time together, it would be nice to be filled more with romance than the pressure of...of..."

"A wedding night?"

He blushed this time. "We can wait."

"I don't want to wait, Keith. There is no need to wait. You are the man I love, the man who will be my husband. I want to make love with you, here and now, in our special place." She reached up, caressed his cheek. "For our special time. Just us and no one else."

Relief flooded him as he pulled her against him again, then pulled away almost as quickly. "So...ah...I wasn't sure what you might be expecting and I don't have a lot of experience with romance, so I did some reading and from what I learned there seems to be a general consensus for the most memorable...uh...I...well, there is the bed or the...ah...rug in front of the fire, supposed to be romantic, or..."

She laughed, thrilled that he had put so much thought and effort into it. "How about both?" she asked and touched her lips to his in a teasing kiss. "First the bed, then the rug..." She kissed him again.

"Then...the bed again?" he prompted with a slow smile, after returning her kiss.

She grinned. "We're not going to get much sleep are we?"

"I've been thinking...wanting this for a long time, Allura, so...probably not."

"That's...lovely to hear." She paused. "Won't Coran worry where I am?"

"Coran knows you're with me."

Her eyes widened in surprise. "And he is okay with that?"

"He didn't have any objections when I told him."

"Did you tell him _why_ I would be with you?"

"Do you want to see me get beheaded?"

She laughed. "So, no then."

"I didn't lie; I just told him we'd been so busy lately that we were going to spend the rest of the evening together before I brought you back to your rooms."

"Did you tell him what time you were bringing me back to my rooms?"

"He didn't ask." Keith captured her face between his hands. "Enough about Coran."

"Well, Commander." She slipped out of his grasp and started walking backwards towards the bed. "We have only a few hours before sunrises, so don't you think we should get started?"

Keith slowly smiled and followed.


End file.
